No More Numbers
by Mrs.Manoso
Summary: The series has ended with Stephanie marrying Joe, she no longer works for Vinnie or RangeMan. A new girl on the run with her dog barrels into town and may take her place with Ranger, but maybe not. Rated M for possible actions further into story.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything except Dylan and Titus. The splendid Janet Evanovich owns the rest, including the amazing Ranger. Heavy sigh**

I thought I was going to die. It was hotter than a sauna in my old **1979 Buick LeSabre Estate **station wagon, and there was no breeze blowing through the three of the four windows that I was able to roll down. Titus, my three legged, black Great Dane, had half of his body out the passenger window. I could only imagine how much drool was covering the wood paneling on the side of my car. Titus was panting heavily and his tongue seemed to be hanging about two feet out of his mouth. Trenton, New Jersey was definitely a different climate than Kindred, North Dakota.

It felt like we had been sitting at the stop light for hours, when it had in reality just turned red. As we inched up in one lane I could feel the eyes of everyone else at that particular intersection staring at us. Especially now that I was squirting water into my dog's mouth, and holding up traffic since the light had decided to turn green. I quickly capped the bottle and hit the gas to try and make up for the lost second, but maybe gave it a little too much gas and I ran into the back of a red Firebird.

I just barely bumped it, but it seemed to barrel up onto the sidewalk, barely missing an illegally parked car. I pulled up behind the car and quickly got out to see if the driver was alright. As I reached the driver's door I peered in to see a large woman behind the wheel, rubbing her neck and looking a little starteled, which was until she looked out at me. Her surprised expression was soon overtaken with anger and I cowered slightly, waiting to get yelled at as the door swung open.

"What the hell do ya think you were doin'?" She cried. She was a large black woman who you could tell was muscle and not fat. Like a bull, could take you down in an instant and you wouldn't know what had happened.

I stood and stared unable to come up with an answer. I just stared at her, looking like deer caught in the high beams, which to some extent I was if you consider what she was wearing. Neon yellow spandex leggings clung to her legs down to mid calf, and on her feet were a pair of matching stiletto sandals, with bright orange toenails, matching the all too tight tank top she wore. A completely different look from my torn-up jeans, duct taped Adidas flip-flops, and plain green baseball shirt. While my dark blonde hair, which came to the middle of my back, it was up in some knotty, messy, bun thing, off my sweating neck. This woman's hair was in fiery orange curls with beads on the ends.

"Umm my sandals are really heavy and just sort of…" I looked back over to my car as Titus barked; he was stuck in the window. His two front paws were on the sidewalk, but he was hung up in the window. He let another deep bark out as he continued to try and get out of the car.

"Go get the damn dog unstuck." The woman said with slight amusement playing her voice. I quickly walked over to Titus, I saw his one hind leg was wrapped up in the seatbelt and quickly extracted it before he climbed the rest of the way out and walked over to the woman who was still outside of her car.

"Sorry. If you want to exchange insurance numbers or whatever that is fine, or if you want I can just give you my name and numb…well I don't have a phone yet, we just drove into town, or I could go with you to get an estimate and just give you the money."

"What the hell happened to him?" The woman was scratching Titus's head which came up to her cleavage.

"He got hit by a car; I got him from an animal rescue place a while ago. He hates guys, infact I actually had to go to court a couple of months ago because he attacked some guy that tried to ask me out at a park. By the way my name is Dylan." I tucked my hands into my back pockets nervously as she looked over my dog and then back at me.

"Lula. I could use a dog like this with my job. Sure could save me some work, and some running." We were silent for a moment and I was about to start talking about the accident, which actually only caused a dented bumper on her car, until she spoke before me. "Look, follow me to work and we can settle this there. I can't be late incase I have to go get a skip right away. I'm a bounty hunter ya know. I can kick some serious ass."

"I believe that." I nodded and slapped my thigh for Titus to follow, but he didn't seem to want to leave his new friend. "Titus, come on, get in the car."

When he still didn't obey Lula offered for him to ride with her. I think it was more to make sure that I would follow her, rather than to please my dog. So I waited patiently for her to maneuver her car off of the sidewalk and then followed her through Trenton. When she pulled up next to a small building I parked right beside her, Titus looked at me happily through the passenger window.

Lula was out of her car before I had mine turned off. She was looking down at her outfit with a face of disgust; I could see the shiny transparent gel substance that makes up Titus's slobber all over her clothes. And he stood next to her on the sidewalk, more hanging from his floppy lips. She glared over at me as I got out of my car and walked up next to them.

"Umm, he has a drooling problem." I stated simply with a large smile, trying hard not to laugh as Titus looked proud. "So, where do you work? Where is this mighty bounty hunter lair?"

"Smartass kid." Was all I could make out of her mumbling as she turned and I followed her into a small building. It wasn't the greatest building, but I really wasn't expecting a castle of the empire state building. The inside matched the outside in some ways. There was a couch that looked like it had been sat on by elephants, and filing cabinets, along with files that needed to be filed, and a fake tree in the corner.

Lula introduced me to Connie, who sat behind the desk, filing her crimson nails as she looked me over. I took her in as well, the black shirt she wore stretched to its limits across her breasts, which weren't the only huge thing on her. Her hair seemed to be a living thing of its own, it was teased beyond reason, and her eyelashes coated in mascara. Her lipstick matched her nails, and above the blood red lipstick was a faint mustache.

"Hi, I'm Dylan, I ran into Lula's car this morning."

"Hey! What the hell?" Connie jumped up and I saw that Titus had made his way behind her desk and found a box of doughnuts. "Steph just brought those in this morning."

"Steph was here? Damn I've missed her two says in a row. Is she looking any bigger?" Lula reached over and grabbed a doughnut that had not yet been slobbered on by Titus and looked it over before taking a large bite from it.

"Not any bigger than last week." Connie looked at Lula's doughnut longingly and then back at Titus with a glare.

"You know what? I will go get you some new doughnuts, I saw a Dunkin Doughnuts on the way over." I was almost to the door when another door in the cramped office opened. A weasel looking man poked his head out and looked me over. I got a dirty feeling as a smile played across his mouth. Titus began to growl and lunged towards the door of the other office, which the man shut quickly and locked. "I told you he doesn't like men."

Connie and Lula were just looking at Titus, and back and forth between each other. I called Titus to the door and asked if they had any specific kind of doughnuts they wanted me to pick up. I decided to walk so that Lula would know I was coming back, if not with the doughnuts, at least for my car later. It seemed cooler outside now, although I don't know how that could be since it had only been a few minutes.

The walk was nice, allowed me to stretch my car cramped legs. Driving cross country had really taken its toll on me. I was hoping that with these doughnuts I would fill my stomach for the rest of the day and maybe manage to bribe Lula out of making me pay. I really had no money to spare. I had to find a job a quick, I could live out of my car, that didn't bother me, but I had to be able to feed Titus.

With two boxes of doughnuts, one for Connie and Lula, and one for Titus and me I pulled the door open with renewed strength. Maybe it was the four extra doughnuts I had bought and eaten with my dog on the way back, or just the fresh air, but I was feeling pretty good. The office was quiet when I walked in, and I looked around suspiciously and found Connie and Lula with their ears pressed up against the same door Titus and attempted to lunge through and attack the greasy man.

"Hey, what is going on?" I whispered as I set the doughnuts on a filing cabinet, just barely out of Titus's reach. They turned and saw the doughnuts and decided that whatever they were listening to wasn't of interest any longer. Titus jumped up onto his hind leg and began to go after the doughnuts, but Lula stole them away triumphantly first. She waved them above his head a while before he drooled on her shoe and then she shoved them at me. I handed one box to Connie and then sat down on the floor with Titus.

I spread my legs out and set the box on the floor in between them, opening the box and peering in, pondering my selection. Titus crawled onto his belly and placed his head on his front paws anxiously. He looked at me annoyed as I sat contemplating which one I wanted. At a small whine from him I tossed him a raspberry bismark, which I hate, and he seemed to swallow it in one bite. I selected one for me and then gave him two that had nuts on them. As I took another bite of my glazed doughnut, I heard the door open and felt Connie and Lula each draw in a deep breath and quit chewing.

Titus let out a low growl and I looked up, expecting to see the slime ball from earlier, but was greeted by the sexiest man I had ever seen. His dark skin hinted to Hispanic descent and he had deep brown eyes that seemed to bore into me. His black hair was cut off short and mused on its own accord; I imagined he would look just as delicious with a ponytail. I looked over his body and now realized why the other two women were unable to breathe. His body was amazing; the Mona Lisa of all male bodies, if that is possible. A black tee shirt seemed to be painted to his muscled body, and a pair of fresh black cargo pants seemed to hug him in all of the right places, although everything seemed to be the right place with him. His black army issue combat boots were scuffed with use.

I tossed Titus another doughnut so he would stop growling, and he quickly ingested it and returned to the man, who was looking down at me with a blank face. I just looked back up and then back down at Titus; I gave him yet another doughnut and then took a bite of my own. The man still hadn't moved from beside me and I looked up impatiently, he could at least say something.

"I'm Dylan, I ran into Lula's car this morning, and then my dog ate Connie's doughnuts that a friend had brought in for her." This caught his attention and he looked over at Connie.

"Steph?" He questioned and she nodded solemnly. There was some history there and I didn't feel like knowing it. He looked back at me and then an impatient look over took his face I didn't want to anger him for he looked like he was the type of man that killed people for fun. A really sexy man that killed people for fun granted.

"What do you want man of no words?" I didn't know if it was the doughnuts or the smell of him, but my brain had left me. I couldn't believe I had just mouthed off to a man I didn't know, let alone this one, the one who looked as if he were ready to kill at any moment. I heard Lula choke on her doughnut and stared aggressively up into his cold eyes. He stared back and then glanced to the door and I realized I was blocking his way. Well technically I wasn't, he could step over my legs. I couldn't believe myself when I didn't move an inch. I just took another bite of my doughnut and then opened the box and tossed another to Titus.

Finally he sighed heavily and stepped over my legs, purposely kicking the doughnut box over with his scuffed boots. He glanced over his shoulder and I thought I was amusement dance in his eyes as Titus lunged into my crotch for the doughnuts. I felt my face heat up and finally felt embarrassed, the feeling I should have felt when I first realized I was in his way. For some odd reason I reacted with attitude though, which was most definitely not like me. I attempted to push Titus from between my legs but couldn't and struggled to get up off the floor. I glared up evilly at a now empty doorframe, I swore that if I ever saw that man again I would make sure that Titus went after him, and brutally ripped off one of his legs.

I picked up the empty doughnut box and threw it in a small garbage can and looked down to see my wonder of a dog now eating the floor where the sugary breakfast treats had been spilled. I called him up but he didn't budge so I grabbed him by his blue collar and heaved him up with all of my might. I quickly wrote down a phone number and my license plate number for Lula who was still looking at me in shock. I was annoyed with the uneasy silence and finally asked what was wrong.

"No one talks to Batman like that, no one except Steph, and that's because he was mad about her, still is if you ask me." I watched as some filling fell onto Lula's leg unnoticed by her. Although she soon knew about it as Titus licked it off and left a saliva mark the size of Nepal on her spandex. "Jesus Christ keep that thing back."

"Sorry, I guess you can call or something so we can get this car thing figured out, I have to find a place to live or a job or something. Well a job for sure, we can live in my RV if we have to." I looked over a Connie who raised her eyebrows at me in surprise. "Well okay, my car, but it is practically a RV for how big it is, plus that is what we have been doing, just stay the night in a park or a store parking lot. No big deal."

The girls just shook their heads as I made my way to the door. As I pushed it open Connie called out to me and Titus squirmed around my leg and out onto the hot sidewalk. "Stop back in a few days if you can't find any work. I could always use someone to file, and you seem to be able to take shit from anyone. If you can talk to Ranger like that, you can handle Vinnie."

"Filing! That is my job. Well I guess I could just go full time bounty huntering since I am so good at it." Lula just smiled over at me as if it would show just how good she was.

"Yea, later." I pushed the door open once more and saw Titus sniffing around the sidewalk. We both got into the car and I pulled away from the curb, questioning where we were going to be sleeping tonight. I glanced in the rearview mirror a few times on the way out and saw a few different cars, but nothing special. I had gotten good at checking my surrounding ever since my second year of college. I pulled into a small park and decided I could tire Titus out the rest of the day so he wouldn't get up in the middle of the night and attempt to wake me to go outside and play. I really did feel bad that I had been making him sleep in the car for a week, he was a big dog.

**Let me know what you think, I know I can never be as great as the all powerful JE. Later **


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything except Dylan and Titus. The splendid Janet Evanovich owns the rest, including the amazing Ranger. Heavy sigh **

I dug through my wallet and realized that I had to get a job. Two hundred dollars was not going to be buying me anything, especially when I had to buy Titus food. Three days of sleeping in the park and reading newspapers for wanted ads pretty much made me hate Trenton. I could always work at a button factory, but no. I hate buttons, well not really, but I am sure I would start once I started working and since buttons are such a valuable part of my life, I can't grow to hate them. It would be disastrous.

Breakfast consisted of delicious dry kibble for Titus and a banana for me. I had to admit that these last couple of weeks I had lost the excess of my little chub on my belly. Living on little money really pays off I guess. Stress is also a miracle diet. If I kept up like this I could soon be a model, a catwalk runway walker model thing. Okay, I would still have to drop a few sizes in the hip and butt department, but I could dream.

I circled a few more possible jobs, and a few apartment and roommate listings. I just hoped I would get lucky; another night of sleeping with Titus in the car would kill me. He took up all of the space available, squishing me into the two boxes and backpack of belongings I had with me. Not that it was much, but it sure seemed to take up a lot of space when your dog is cramming you into it.

I found an ad requesting a roommate in a large three bedroom house. Apparently the person received the house after his parents died, and he didn't want to pay for all the bills himself. The house was nice, spacious, and had a great yard for Titus to play, but my future roommate seemed a little questionable. It wasn't that he didn't seem nice; he just seemed like the type that would surprise me in the middle of the night by showing up naked in my bed. Plus I didn't think that it would go to well seeing as how I could hear Titus growling outside the door.

After two other unsuccessful apartments, I decided to look for a job. I stopped in a McDonalds, Taco Bell, a Laundromat, a small café, and a few department stores in the mall. With seven applications I was hoping to get a job somewhere, it had to happen. So after all of the effort I decided that I could spare a few dollars since we had skipped lunch, and buy ice-cream for me and my faithful hound.

It was the coolest of the days I had spent in Trenton thus far, so I sat outside at a small table, Titus at my feet eating his ice-cream which was all over the sidewalk now. By the time we left I had filled out the applications for the Laundromat, café, and the stores in the mall. I was dreading the thought of working at a fast food place; it just wasn't a good image for a twenty-seven year old, well at least not this one.

Twenty-seven! Holy crap I was getting old. I needed to find a man, get married have kids. Okay, not get married and have kids, but I definitely wouldn't mind finding a sexy guy to spend some time with. Yet faced with another problem; Titus. I guess it really won't be happening with him around, and there is no way I will be giving him up. We have been through to much to part with him. But maybe when the right guy comes around Titus will know he is good and not chew his arms off for dinner.

As the afternoon sun began to wear down into dusk I packed Titus up and drove to the familiar park that had become our home for the past few days. I got out the Frisbee and tennis balls and took Titus out of the car. We would play until he was tired, which was going to take a long time. Maybe I would let him go into the pond again and try to catch a duck. It tired him out faster than running around, but it made him smell even worse than he did already.

I woke up to something very hard hitting me in the face, and looked to see Titus's butt practically in my face, and his tail swishing back and forth. I pushed him away and rolled over attempted to go back to sleep. When Titus let a low growl out though, I quickly opened my eyes and sat up. I looked around outside the car and saw nothing, not even any ducks were out on the pond yet. I didn't know what he was growling at, but I had an uneasy feeling as well, as if someone of something were watching us.

I climbed up over the front seat and started the engine, keeping the doors locked. Pulling out of the park I quickly raced down the deserted side roads and found myself in town. I pulled up in front of a large office building; it felt safe, safer than anywhere else at the moment. I decided to change out of my pajama clothes so that I could take Titus for a walk. I crawled out of the car and went to the back where I grabbed a pair of ragged jeans, a plain red tee-shirt, some socks and my sandals. I would change my underwear at a gas station or something.

I stood on the sidewalk next to the car, the office building behind me, watching the rest of the street for activity. I knew no one would be working this early, so the office had to be empty, plus no one was working the security gate so it had to still be closed. I pulled my large sweatshirt off and tried to quickly pull my tee-shirt over my small exposed top, but got my arm in the wrong whole. I felt stupid, and prayed I wouldn't get picked up for indecent exposure. I quickly turned with my back to the street incase anyone came outside; I would rather face the empty office building then the rest of the street where anyone could show up.

"Yea, look at you now smarty. You just had to run away, now your living out of your car, getting naked on the streets. Soon you'll start having sex for money." I began talking to myself, I felt like such an idiot.

I pulled my tee-shirt over my head and then skivvied out of the old boxer shorts I had on. My skimpy underwear made me feel naked as a breeze blew. The lace boy shorts definitely weren't the most thermal thing to be covering me at the moment. I bent down and picked up my jeans and shoved my legs into them. Hopping up and down on the sidewalk, attempting to pull them on as my feet got stuck in a few of the holes. I was thankful that no one was witnessing this, because I was really having a problem getting dressed this morning.

I finally got them on and then bent over to grab my sock, which was when I heard, and felt the back seem of my pants rip out. I felt my butt with one hand as I picked up my sock. It was definitely a disaster in the back; I knew I should have patched these pants a while ago. Finally I just let them fall to the ground where I picked them up and threw them back onto the sidewalk. At the moment I probably looked like a monkey the way I was jumping up and down on them. I was fed up, I wanted a nice bed to sleep in, a hot shower, and I wanted new socks and underwear.

"Aaaahhhhhh! I hate this!" I screamed at my pants as I picked them up and threw them at my car. Titus just watched me out the window with a baffled look on his face. I decided I would let him out while I found a different pair of pants. I had the back door of my station wagon open, and was bending inside rummaging around in one of my boxes for a new pair of pants when I heard something. I turned and looked around to see the security gate at the office building opening, but I didn't see anyone coming.

I quickly shoved on a pair of jeans and sat down on the sidewalk to put my socks on before slipping them into my sandals. I watched Titus as he sniffed around, peeing on a few things now and then. Then I looked over as the security gate began to close, and no one had come nor gone from the building. I hoped that the company knew that their gate was malfunctioning. I really needed to go the bathroom now, so I loaded Titus back up and headed to a gas station.

The rest of the week went by slow, I mean incredibly slow. Titus was in some type of funk; he wouldn't look at me or let me pet him. I think he was probably just bored and sick of living in the car. At any rate, I really needed to find a job, and I had been stopping into all of the locations I had turned in applications, but they weren't hiring any longer. I decided I would resort to the only offer I had, Connie and Lula.

I pulled up to the office after getting myself lost twice, and climbed out of the car, Titus right behind me. I pulled the door open and found myself face to face with nothing. No Connie, no Lula, no creepy slime ball man, no big-macho-wants-to-kill-me man. I walked over to the door and knocked lightly, and got a nasty "leave me alone."

"Umm, I need to talk to Connie about a job."

"I own this place, I-" the door was thrown open and slime ball stared out at me with an all too eager face. "I think you would be great here, filing right?"

"Uhmm, yea."

"Well Connie doesn't work Sundays and rarely Saturdays, so you can start anytime you want today. Take it for a spin and see how you like it." He licked his lips and allowed his beady little animal eyes to take in all of my. "I am sure you will like it."

"Okay, uhmm thanks." He closed the door as Titus came over to see what was going on. I turned to the two large stacks of manila folders, some thin, some as thick as textbooks. I soon realized that not only these needed to be filed, but most of the drawers needed to be sorted through. I picked through them every time I brought a file over. In two and a half hours I had both of the stacks of files put away, and I decided I might as well arrange them a little. I didn't have anything else to do.

I heard a door close but thought nothing of it as I continued to file. As the room grew darker with less light coming in through the windows I realized I should probably stop. I was really proud of the job I had done. Only two drawers in one file cabinet needed to be done, and those two weren't really that bad. I turned towards Titus, who was sleeping on the couch, and then went and knocked on the door to the inside office. I got no answer.

That was when I realized that Slimeball must have left. I went to the front door and looked outside before going to Connie's desk where I wrote a short little note telling her I would be back in tomorrow to figure out if I could take the job or not. I called Titus up from his little nap and then felt a rumbling in my stomach; time for dinner, and then to the park to sleep. I glanced at the clock on the wall before pushing open the door to see that it was almost 9:00. It definitely hadn't felt that late.

I pushed the door open and was greeted with an earsplitting alarm. I quickly pulled it shut, but it didn't shut off. Titus began barking like mad and jumping about. I covered my ears and sat down on the desk. I couldn't run away because when the police came I would probably just get in more trouble. Plus, I will just explain what happened and then they can call the creepy owner, he can verify and then I will be off, worry free.

I sat on the desk swinging my feet around, holding my hands over my ears and feeling horrible for Titus as he remained jumping around and barking. The alarm suddenly shut itself off however and then the front door pulled open. I felt myself stop breathing, and my eyes begin to bulge out of my head as I quickly grabbed Titus's collar. I stood staring, pulling with all my might against Titus to make him stay as I stared up at the man standing in front of me. I swallowed hard and blinked a few times hoping he would disappear.

He was big, no huge, like a frickin' tank. He could probably blow me over with just a flick of his finger. His head was shaved, and even that looked muscled. There were muscles upon muscles, more muscles then I had ever seen. Granted he was a sexy muscle man, not like one of those creepy muscle competition men. You could tell his muscles came from working and fighting, and a little bit of time at the gym, but probably not much, more fighting. He looked to be in his early thirties, and his shirt fit him like a second skin. He wore the same all black outfit that I had seen on the macho kick-my-butt guy earlier when I had first hit Lula's car.

"Uhmm, I didn't do anything." My eyes were still the size of baseballs and I had a lump in my throat just a big. He took a step towards me and I looked down at Titus. He may only have three legs, but he sure had a lot more teeth. He could maybe take him down while I jumped over and ran to the car.

"I know I am here to get you out of here. Vinnie must have forgotten you were in here filing. Nice job by the way." My face must have shown how dumbstruck I was because he looked at me and amusement played the corners of his lips. "Name's Tank. I've been following you for a while; I have to take you back to the office now though."

"F-f-following me?" My voice went up an octave.

"Yes, now come on." He turned towards the door and for some reason I found myself actually following him. Right out the door I went, holding Titus back a little ways from this 'Tank' man. A black Ford Explorer was sitting at the curb next to my car. I had seen this vehicle a few times in town and thought nothing of it, but now I realized he had been following.

"Wait, why have you been following me?" I was suddenly really freaked out. What if he was a homicidal maniac, a mass rapist, or something and I was his next victim.

"I can tell you later. You can put your dog in the back, and you can sit up front. I have a place for you to stay tonight."

"That is okay, we are just going to go home." He looked over at me and raised his eyebrows.

"To the park?" How on earth did he know that I had been sleeping in the park? Now I was sure he was a rapist or something and was trying to get me. I felt all too unsafe and I released Titus's collar. Titus jumped up at the man and snarled in his face and then bit down hard onto his arm. The man hollered and pushed Titus off. I quickly opened up my car and got Titus in before slamming the door and locking it. I saw the man look over with a pissed off expression and I quickly started the car and backed up. I wanted to make sure he didn't come after me, and I didn't know what else to do, so I decided to run him over.

I don't know what made me do it, it had to have been fear, but I hit the gas and drove up onto the sidewalk and hit him. It wasn't a life threatening hit or anything, just a possible broken bone or maybe a slight concussion. I backed up and looked at him sprawled out on the sidewalk, then I decided I would ram into his vehicle as well. I backed up a couple of meters and then I buckled Titus in. Once we were both secure behind seatbelts I aimed the right corner of my hood towards the rear-end of his SUV.

The bumper seemed to shatter and the wheel well was demolished, along with the rest of the back end. I didn't look back, I just kept driving, I had to get away, find someplace safe. I drove like a man person, speeding down side streets, running stop signs, and nearly hitting a person out walking. My breathing was deep and heavy, I was still scared out of my mind, I felt like I had peed my pants I was so scared, I didn't actually pee my pants though.

I drove around for a little while longer, it was growing darker by the minute, and I had to find someplace to sleep. I didn't know where to go since I couldn't go back to the park, the man might find a way to get me. I decided to go park at a Wal-Mart. I knew they at least had cameras in their parking lot; if anything happened to me there would be evidence. I parked and went inside to go the bathroom before I actually did pee my pants.

When I came back out I walked Titus around the parking lot a little to relax, my heart began to slow down finally. We headed back to the car and got comfortable, but I was still really nervous. Maybe I should go to the police tomorrow morning. First I would go and ask Connie if the office kept video tapes of anything. Maybe there would be a tape with the guy on it so that I could take it to the police. It would be a lot easier to catch the maniac if they knew what he looked like. With that in mind I fell asleep, my arm over Titus, making sure he was there to keep me safe.

**Sorry for no super great writing. I had a complete brain block and I had to type this up in little time. Reviews would be nice. Have a great day/night!  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: I deeply wish that I could take credit for everything but I can not. Only Dylan and faithful ol' Titus belong to me, everything else is Janet Evanovich's property. **

**Thank you to cokkii for reviewing!**

The next morning I swore someone was watching me, but I was probably just even more paranoid. I had slept horribly; tossing and turning, receiving dog paws in the face, and then the late night traffic that kept blaring their horns for no reason. I sat up and Titus rolled over, begging for his stomach to be scratched, and like the wonderful pet owner I am, I climbed into the front seat and got out of the car. He quickly followed suit, excited to get out of the car again.

I walked him around the parking lot, and I know I shouldn't have, but I let him pee on a few tires. Tires of the fancy expensive type; an Escalade, Navigator, Porsche, and a little sports car that was completely ready for _The Fast and the Furious_ movies. He really missed those average dog things that he had been missing since we headed out on the road. After walking the parking lot for ten more minutes we went back to the S_uper Wagon_ as I liked to call it. I poured some dog food out into front passenger seat where Titus always sat, grabbed my clothes for the day, and then walked in to Wal-Mart to get ready.

I came back looking absolutely fabulous, if you were looking in garbage cans that is. All of my clothes that I had on had already been worn a few times, well except for the new underwear I had just bought, wonderfully high-cut briefs, granny panties if you will. I swear they were actually above my belly button. My jeans were ripped and shredded in many placed, one of my back pockets was hanging on my only a few stitches. I had a zip-up sweatshirt; it had a huge ketchup stain, dog slobber, and some other substance that I didn't want to know, on over a plain black sports bra. All of my tee-shirts were in to bad of condition to wear.

Back in the car I gave Titus some water and ate an apple for breakfast. I really needed to get a job; I was going to deteriorate on this crappy rabbit food. With that settled in my mind I drove absentmindedly to the only place I had a chance of getting a job, the bail bonds office where Connie and Lula worked. The drive was short and I was glad to see the red firebird outside the doors.

"What the hell did you do?" Lula nearly screamed as I pulled the door open and let Titus walk in ahead of me.

"Vinnie let me attempt filing yesterday so I sorted out the file cabinets. Did I mess them up?"

"No, you're hired for that, my new filing person, Lula's fired from that. Lula means what did you do to Tank last night?" I looked over at Connie behind her desk, wondering if she ever thought of a breast reduction as her sweater stretched to its limits to keep her all covered. It all dawned on me that she must have known the guy that I ran over last night, they both did.

"Uhmm…I don't know."

"You don't know? Damn girl! That boy broke a leg, a couple ribs, had to get stitches, and fractured his arm. Not to mention the concussion he got." She shook her head at me, but she looked pretty happy about it.

"Sorry. I thought he was going to kill me or something." I involuntarily shuddered at the thought of what he could have done to me if he really wanted to. The paraphernalia that I had seen on the belt around his waist was enough to prove he could have taken out my dog and me. Speaking of my dog, he was now peeing on the fake tree in the corner.

"Tank said you set off the alarm because Vinnie left you in here." Lula stopped and the door opened, a woman who looked to be about five months pregnant came in through the door. She had dark unruly curls, a large smile on her face, and she was carrying doughnuts. Titus immediately trotted over to her and began nuzzling the box.

"Nice dog, at least he doesn't take the box and eat that too." She tossed Titus a doughnut and then sat down on the couch next to Lula and selected a Boston cream and passed the box to Lula. "Steph."

I took that as her form of introduction through her mouthful of doughnut. I answered with "Dylan, and that is Titus."

"Oooh girl you should hear what Dylan did last night. Tell her." Now thanks to Lula all the attention was on me, including Titus's.

"Well uhmm, I didn't mean to do it or anything." I guess nothing exciting ever happened around here if they were all that eager for a replay of what happened last night.

"It doesn't matter if you meant to or not, which you did mean to, just tell us what you did to Tank."

"Tank, yea, that big guy. Good looking I have to admit." I saw Connie and Steph exchange a look, and Lula shot me a warning look, apparently he was off limits. "Well, I was filing away minding my own business, Titus was sleeping on the couch. It was suddenly dark outside so I went to open the door to leave and BEEP!" They all jumped as I screamed a beep at them.

"Then suddenly the Tank man appeared in the doorway, he had shut off the alarm and was all like 'Come with me, I will save you'. Well okay he just said 'Come with me' or something like that. Then I questioned why, he said because I could stay somewhere else rather then sleep in my car in the park with Titus. That creeped me out, a little stalkerish if you ask me." Connie, Lula, and Steph all exchanged a look that I couldn't read.

"Then I pretended to follow him out to his vehicle, where he tried to get me to put Titus in the back and sit up front with him. I let go of Titus's collar, he attacked him, I got into the car with my dog and was going to drive away but I thought I had better make sure he couldn't' come after me. I then hit him with my car, and then rammed into his SUV so that he couldn't drive after me either. Not that he could even get up or anything. Then I spent the night sleeping in the Wal-Mart parking lot."

There was a complete silence in the room. They were all just staring at me, looking at me like I was crazy. Finally they broke out laughing, hysterically at me. I leaned nervously on the wall and gave a few small laughs as they attempted to catch their breath. Once quiet they just looked at me in amazement, Lula passed me the box of doughnuts and I took one happily.

"You are going to be in trouble when Ranger gets here. You pretty much ruined one of his best men. Best looking is for damn sure." Lula nodded with a smile that said she was thinking about him naked as she spoke.

"Vinnie will probably get his ass handed to him for leaving her in here. If he wouldn't have Tank never would have had to come and get her." Connie took a doughnut now, and tossed one more to Titus. She and Lula just looked at Steph, waiting for a comment.

"Looks like you guys have another me on your hands." She smiled up at me, her pregnant face glowing. "You'll fit right in."

"She's a smart ass too, she talked back to Batman the first day she met him." Lula seemed proud as she told Stephanie this. "Steph got into Batman's bed, a few times, and he still wants her."

Lula, Connie, and Stephanie all froze at that moment. I didn't know what was going on, but then Titus walked over in front of me and looked towards the door. The next moment it was shadowed in darkness as someone pulled it open. He stood there a moment looking in at everyone, his all black attire making him appear more dangerous.

He stared over at Steph for a minute before proceeding to Vinnie's office door where he let himself in without knocking. The other girls seemed to release the breaths they had been holding in. Lula looked like she had been ready to wet her pants and Connie had seemed to drool a little. Steph seemed unphased.

"I told you he still wants her. Can't stop thinking about how good she was in that big fancy bed of his. Can't stand the fact that he lost to a cop."

"Lula shut up." Stephanie elbowed her and looked at the door to Vinnie's office longingly. She apparently still had some feelings left for him as well. "I should probably get back home, Joe has the day off and we were going to go do something."

"Shhh, Ranger has to be laying into Vinnie right now. I can't hear what they are saying though." Connie walked over to the door and pushed herself against it, trying to listen in on all that was going on inside. Lula and Stephanie didn't say anything, but then Stephanie turned to me

"So you've been living in your car? Don't you have anyone in town you can stay with? Or at least get a hotel or something?"

"At the moment I only have enough money to buy Titus food for the rest of the week, which is why this job is so important right now. I mean it isn't going to be like my old job, but any income is better than nothing." I shrugged my shoulders, pretending that living out of my car wasn't driving me insane and that the money issue would work out.

"Why are you here?" Just my luck, she asked the one question I didn't know how to answer.

"I had to leave my old place, things just weren't working, and my money has finally dwindled low enough so that I had to stop and get a job."

The door opened and Ranger stepped out looking calm and steady. His eyes immediately fixed on Stephanie. She stood up and stared right back at him. There was obviously still a lot of feelings between them that they couldn't get rid of. Ranger walked swiftly over to her, Titus, Connie, Lula, and I watching intently. His hand went to the top of her neck and seemed to gently massage it as he whispered into her ear, where upon they both walked outside.

I didn't know what to do so I just looked around the room waiting for Connie or Lula to say something. Before you knew it Lula and Connie were both plastering their faces to the door and trying to look out at the two. Lula looked over her shoulder and motioned me over to join them, but I passed on that. I didn't feel like prying into some peoples' privacy that I barely even knew.

Lula and Connie quickly scurried back to their places, Lula on the couch, Connie at her desk. They tried to catch their breath as the front door swung open. Steph had a large smile on her face as she came and sat back down on the couch. She seemed triumphant, like she just won something.

"I found you an apartment if you want." Lula and Connie just looked at her with bug eyes.

"Oh, that is okay. I would feel horrible if you got me a place to stay and we barely know each other." I went and picked up a file and put it in a drawer. "Plus I won't have money for a down payment thing or whatever they are called, and I can't leave Titus. All the apartments I checked out wouldn't take pets."

"Oh don't worry, everything is already taken care of, and you will get to move in tonight. Plus, I used to let weirdoes stay at my place; I can definitely help you out." Her face told me that there was no negotiating, that I couldn't get out of it.

"Uhmm thanks. I don't know how I will repay you." My heart soared as I thought about sleeping in someplace other than the car. I would sleep on a ratty old cot with holes in it, I didn't care anymore. "Wow, I really don't know what to say. Thank you so much."

"Are you getting her your old place? Because I wouldn't stay in there unless I had Tank with me or something. It is a death trap for people like you and her. She seems just as crazy as you; I mean she ran over Tank." Lula shook her head as if it was not a logical thing to do, which I guess for her it wasn't.

"I didn't run him over, I just sort of…well I just nicked him with the front end. Plus he could have jumped out of the way if he really didn't want to get hurt."

"You see what I mean?" Steph and Connie were both laughing at Lula and what I had said. Apparently I was a second Stephanie Morelli, or Plum as I was told her last name used to be.

Stephanie went home a few minutes later, and I then got filled in on everything for the rest of the day. No filing was done on my part, and nothing seemed to be done by Connie or Lula either. They told me stories of Steph and Ranger, of Steph bounty huntering, Morelli. He apparently had the best butt in Trenton.

Around noon Titus started to get hungry and needed to go outside. I decided I would take him for a walk, maybe walk up and grab some lunch for the girls. I couldn't believe that I was referring to them as 'the girls' when I had only known them for two days. They were very friendly though, at least now they were; I didn't want to make them mad though. Connie had mentioned something about mob connections in her family, and well Lula could kick my butt with no problem.

I couldn't stop smiling. I was getting an apartment. I couldn't believe my luck. Maybe things were taking a turn for good finally. I just hoped that it would stay this way. The way my life was going though it wouldn't. I was probably going to end up dead soon. If problems did somehow find out I was in town, I could always pack up again. I really didn't have anything to leave behind. I didn't know if I could consider Lula, Connie, and Stephanie friends for sure or not. I mean Steph did get me an apartment, but that doesn't necessarily mean we are friends.

I contemplated this and much more as I walked with Titus. I found a fried chicken place, I didn't eat chicken, but Titus deserved a treat. I picked up two buckets with a few sides. Carrying them back to the office was difficult because Titus wouldn't quit trying to steal the bag. When the building was in sight I couldn't help but nearly jog to the door. I needed to give Titus some food before he ate me.

The girls were thankful for the food and I prayed that I would be getting a paycheck soon. If I bought food like this anymore I would have a total of zero for money in a few days. I watched Titus drool as the girls chose what to eat before giving him the rest. I didn't have an appetite; I was too excited about having a job and having an apartment. We talked a little about everything for the rest of the day. I wasn't too excited about working for a complete pervert who screwed ducks, but it was money.

Steph called around four O'clock telling me that someone would be here to take me to my apartment in a little while. She didn't know who it would be, but someone would come. She said that Connie and Lula would know who it was when he came in the door. She also mentioned that I might be able to pick up a second job, work a few extra hours at the apartment building if I wanted to pick up some extra cash. She wasn't completely sure on that part just yet, but she was trying to get it all worked out.

Lula left at 4:30, and Connie began closing everything down at five. I didn't know what to do, whoever was taking me to my apartment hadn't shown up yet. Then Connie mentioned that I could just wait inside since Vinnie would still be in his office. She said he would probably get a few female clients in still. The thought of being in the same building as Vinnie while he had sex repulsed me. Granted Connie said it would be happening quite a lot, I didn't want to have to stick around if I didn't have to. I opted to just wait outside with Titus, if anyone tried to pull anything on me I would just run them over like I ran Tank over the night before.

I was sitting outside on the hood of my car watching Titus as he chased his tail and scratched his ears. I think I could be a dog, definitely not that hard of a job. I sighed and looked around a familiar SUV pulled up beside my car, although there was no body damage on this one. The tinted passenger window rolled down and Tank looked out at me. I felt myself freeze up under his hateful gaze. I looked past him and saw another giant of a man driving; this one had a shaved head and wore the same black attire from what I could see.

"I am so sorry. I thought you were going to kill me!" I jumped off the hood of my car and Tank seemed to be trying to squirm as far away from me as he could in his seat.

"Just follow us, and stay a little ways away." Tank began rolling up the window and I realized that they were the two who were going to be bringing me to my apartment. Steph probably arranged this with Rambo-Man so that I wouldn't get hurt or anything. I quickly got Titus in the car and waited to them to back up so that I could follow them. We set off down the road with no problems, and I turned up a radio station as loud as I could and began singing along. I was so happy to be having my own place, I just prayed that the other tenants of the build would be nice, if not nice at least old. I liked old people for some reason.

**Alas another chapter. Oh, how I can't wait for some Ranger action. I probably wont write anything for a few days now, I have a packed work schedule. Have a killer day/night all who read this. Have great Ranger dreams and fantasies. Review if you can, it would be nice.  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: Oh how I deeply wish Ranger was mine, but he, and everyone else except Dylan and Titus belong to Janet Evanovich. **

I followed the SUV and realized that things seemed somewhat familiar, as if I had driven by them before. When a tall office building came into sight I realized that this was where I had been stupid and changed on the sidewalk. I looked around at the buildings and wondered how much further it would be to my new apartment. They weren't the fanciest buildings on the street, but it would definitely be better than sleeping in my car another night.

The brake lights snapped me back to attention and I looked ahead to see the turn signal telling me we were stopping in at the office for a moment. I didn't know if they had to pick up someone, or maybe the guy was dropping Tank off. I just parked my car near at the curb and waited to begin following the guy once more. I watched them drive through the gate, the driver glancing out his window towards me, apparently wanting to make sure that I didn't go somewhere else.

Titus and I sat in the car looking around absentmindedly. Taking in everything, I couldn't think of what business could possibly be up there where the goons went, but it must be important to have a security gate. I looked over at the building and saw someone walking towards me. I couldn't tell who it was, but he was big as well. I figured it was just the driver of the SUV who I hadn't met, but now it seemed that we were going to become best friends. He was probably going to tell me that he couldn't take me the rest of the way to my apartment and I was going to have to sleep in my car.

I opened the door of my car and stood halfway out, looking at the approaching figure. His stride was long and wide, and he was built almost as big as Tank. It seemed to be the same guy I had seen earlier. As he got closer he removed the sunglasses and looked seemed to take me all in. I just continued to stare at him, waiting for the words of disappointment.

"You can pull that thing into the garage or keep it on the street." He spoke loud and clear, he looked in the back of my car to see if I had a lot of stuff he might have to carry.

"What? Where am I supposed to go? You can just give me directions to the apartment building or whatever. I can always stop for help if I get lost."

"You're here. Just figure out if you want to park in the garage or out here so we can get you in fast. I have some other work I have to get done." His impatience and displeasure was obvious in his voice. I felt a little guilty that he got roped into doing this, but then again I was really unsure of what to do at the moment. I didn't really want to question him, and if Stephanie trusted him I might as well.

"Well I guess I can just stay parked here." I let Titus out cautiously and kept him close he looked over at the guy warningly as he stuck close to me. "Uhmm, can he come in?"

"I was told to bring you and ALL of your stuff up. I guess that means him too." He walked over to the back of my car and opened it up. "What do I need to grab?"

"Nothing actually, I can just take up my backpack. I won't need anything, or should I bring up my sleeping bag?"

"The beds have everything on them." Oh, how he just loved to talk to me. He turned and I took that as my clue to lock up my car and follow suit.

"My name is Dylan, thanks for doing this. I mean it was sort of unexpected, Steph just sort of got me the place some how." All I got in return was a grunt that sounded like 'Hal'. I took that as his name and realized our conversation was over. Following him up to the gate I saw a man doing security and found myself wondering what went on here once more. Titus stayed between Hal and I, shooting looks at him that said he would be happy to chew off a leg.

After walking through the gate I found myself in a large parking garage. It was huge, filled with vehicles. Not just any vehicles, but new, shiny, black, expensive vehicles. They all had tinted windows and were all lined up in perfect order. There were a few open spaces and I assumed that they were out on business of some sorts, and one open space was probably for the SUV I purposefully wrecked. I looked down at Titus and he seemed just as amazed as I was.

At the end of the parking garage we came to an elevator, and with a final look at all of the vehicles I got in with Titus. I didn't see what button was pushed but the doors silently slid closed. It was completely silent in the elevator and I was really wishing that this Hal guy talked more. I looked over at him and he didn't seem to notice, if he did he was very good at acting like a statue. Titus sat on the floor and scratched behind his ears with his one hind leg, I saw Hal watch him with curiosity.

"What happened?"

"He bit my husband after he hit me once and he shot him in the leg. We had to have it amputated because it was some crazy bullet that basically destroyed everything." I shrugged my shoulders and looked down at Titus, and then I realized I had actually just told this man that I hardly know the truth. Normally I told everyone that he got hit by a car or that I got him like that at a rescue center. I did get him at a rescue center, but he was a puppy then.

Hal just nodded and glanced at the doors when they slid open. He stepped out and I followed him left out of the elevator, down the hallway. Doors lined both sides of the hall, all a nice wood material. Hal led me about four doors away from the elevator where he put a key into the door and opened it up for me. He slipped his hand inside and flicked a light switch before taking the key out of the door and handing it to me.

"Thank you very much." I stepped inside the door and Titus pushed past me. I turned to thank Hal once more but he was gone so I closed the door lightly behind me and began to take in my new apartment. IT had a small table with two chairs, a couch and a large comfortable looking chair in one room. I took that to be the living/dining room. It wasn't the largest apartment I had ever been in, but I couldn't complain, I would be happy to have just the couch. Behind the table and chairs was a small area with a mini fridge, a sink, and a microwave. Apparently you weren't supposed to cook here, and I would be getting a lot of take out now that I couldn't cook anything.

I took in all of the color, which was basic beige. Oh how happy the apartment was, no color. I didn't care at all, well maybe a little, but I let it go because I was finally in a building to sleep, not my car with Titus. Speaking of him, I heard him slurping some water and followed the sound to an open door. I turned on the light to reveal a small bathroom and Titus drinking the water out of the toilet. There was only a toilet and a small porcelain sink with a mirror over it. I had to wonder whether the tenants were supposed to shower.

Titus happily led the way to one more open door, bringing me to the bedroom. There was a single bed with a simple white blanket and two pillows on it. A small little nightstand stood on the side, and a little dresser and closet occupied the remainder of the room. This was going to be great if I could keep the payments. My happiness was beginning to dwindle as I thought of the bill I would be receiving at the end of the month.

I threw my backpack on the bed and then sat on the couch with Titus for a while. It felt wonderful to be here, granted I was thinking about the price of it right now. Maybe they had smaller apartments that I could rent the next month. I decided not to think about that and sat there taking in more of the apartment. It was simple, but seemed wonderful. I was knocked out of my thoughts as Titus barked and began walking towards the door.

I slipped on my sandals and walked over to the door, apparently he was ready to go explore outside. We went into the hallway and to the elevator, Titus leading the way. He had apparently learned his way around in the one time we had rode the elevator. We waited patiently for the elevator to come up, and once we were in I pushed the ground floor button, well the one I assumed would lead us to the garage so we could get outside.

The door opened to the sight of many black vehicles. Titus ran out eagerly, disappearing into the jungle of cars, trucks, and SUVs. I just walked around looking at all of the vehicles that I could never afford. There was an awesome truck that I looked at for quite a while before moving on. I definitely wouldn't mind driving that around, Titus could even go in the bed instead of up in the cab. I walked around two cars to find Titus peeing on the tires of a Porsche. It looked like the one that was at Wal-Mart the one day, but I knew it wasn't because the men here probably would never go into Wal-Mart.

Titus barked and began making his way back to the elevator and I followed, apparently he had had his fun, and I didn't mind. I did feel guilty that he peed on the tires, but that was what dogs did. Back in the elevator I realized that I didn't know what floor our apartment was on. I just pushed a random button and waited for the doors to close. I really wished they played some music in the elevator or something, it was boring.

"So, what do you think of our new place?" Titus just looked up at me with a pleased expression and the nuzzled his head into my body. I scratched his ears and he began to wag his tail. It thumped against the doors loudly and I tried to pull him a little ways away from it, but he took it as a form of play. Soon he was jumping around and banging into me as I smashed myself against the back of the elevator. I heard the little ding of the elevator telling me we were at the floor finally and as the doors began to slide open Titus turned around quickly hitting me with his rear end and I stumbled into the wall.

Before I could grab his collar he darted out of the door and ran a little ways into the room. I regained my footing and stepped out of the elevator and realized we weren't on the correct floor. Titus was looking around with a snarl on his face. He didn't look to please with where he had gotten himself. I called to him but he didn't come back he just looked around the room. I stepped out and looked at the room.

It seemed like a giant office floor. Cubicles and stations were set up all over; tables with computers seemed to be everywhere. There didn't seem to be anyone in the room and I looked at a clock on the wall that read 9:17 p.m. Of course no one would be at work at this hour. I grabbed Titus's collar and looked around again. I saw a couple of heads in the back, they were just barely sticking over a cubicle type area, except larger.

"Uhmm excuse me, could you tell me what floor the apartments are on?" I said as I walked over to them. They just sat for a moment looking at me with a baffled expression. I saw that they were watching a bunch of monitors that was apparently for security purposes. I watched as they switched back and forth from hallways, the elevator, what looked like a gym, the room I was currently in, and the garage.

I looked down at Titus as he pulled against my arm and saw him trying to get a sandwich off of an empty desk. I just kept pulling him back and turned back to the men waiting for and answer. They were both muscled like the other two men I had met, Tank and Hal. Their uniforms consisted of the same clothing as well, all black everything. They didn't exactly seem that smart as they looked at me like I was from outer space. Apparently not many women worked here, whatever here was.

"I need a report ran on…" I looked up to see Rambo-man stop behind the men and look at me. Whatever he had to say he apparently wasn't going to be saying it in front of me. His look was cold and all of his dissatisfaction with me being there was evident.

"Hi, I'm Dylan. I don't know how to get back to where I am staying." I didn't get an answer from and of the men yet again. I stood there taking Ranger in. I couldn't help but finding him attractive. His hair was short and seemed just the perfect length to run my hands through, and his eyes were a deep chocolaty brown. His body was incredible, the muscles looked welcoming, like I wouldn't mind being wrapped up in his arms and that they would keep a promise to keep me safe forever. His warm mocha skin I just wanted to run my fingers over, feeling the heat from him. His lips, even thought they were drawn in a tight line looked like they would feel incredible against mine. Ooh I had a little heat growing in the bottom of my stomach.

"Here, do these." Ranger through a few files onto the desk in front of the men and then looked towards me. "Follow me." I did as I was told and didn't mind the view that I got either. His black cargo pants were making it look like a delicious treat to me. I had to say that this was the best butt I had ever seen. I had this urge to reach out and grab it, and I saw my hand moving out in front of me, but then I just grabbed Titus and swallowed hard.

He reached the elevator and pushed the button to call it and the doors opened before Titus and I got there. He stepped inside and waiting impatiently for us to get in. Once in he pushed the door close and then looked over at me. His eyes took me all in and he apparently wasn't pleased with what he saw. I felt self conscious suddenly as his eyes seemed to bore into me. My 5'8" body suddenly felt like 1'8", and I felt as wide as a hippo. He made me feel inferior in one look.

"Your apartment is on the 5th floor, which is the only place you need to go besides the garage to leave. I don't want you running about and distracting my men. Let them do their work."

"Well thanks for letting me stay here. Well I assume you are in charge around here."

"It wasn't my choice to have you here." Titus let out a low growl and I looked down at him, silencing him. With that short remark I turned away and felt horrible. I just stared ahead at the elevator door and didn't say anything else. I realized that he definitely didn't want me here and that Steph had probably made him give me the place, he hadn't given it willingly.

As the door binged open I turned and looked up at him once more and then grabbed Titus who was looking at Ranger like he was going to be dinner. I looked back at Ranger over my shoulder as I stepped out and his expression was blank. I couldn't tell if he was ready to kill me or if it was all a façade for me to think he was the big tuff guy he looked like. I took it as the he was ready to kill me and gave a week smile as the doors slid closed behind me.

I found the apartment door and unlocked it. Titus raced in and I saw him disappear into the bedroom. I felt horrible now; this apartment was a pity apartment. Steph probably made Ranger let me stay here, pulling at his feelings for her still. She probably asked him nicely and then when he first said no she probably told him about me sleeping in my car. If the pity part wasn't bad enough, I had found myself being attracted to this man. Hoping he could keep me safe, protect me with the sexy, muscular body of his.

I curled up on the couch and sat there thinking for a while. I felt sleep pulling at my eyes and laid down on the couch, still fully dressed. I knew that Titus was already on the bed and that I wouldn't be able to get him to budge, let along have enough room to lay with him. I felt chilled, but didn't have the energy or the will to get up and grab a blanket so I just curled up into a tight ball. I drifted off to sleep with thoughts of Ranger keeping me warm on the couch.

**Well I guess Dylan is obvioucly crunching on Ranger already, but come one who wouldn't? I would already have tried to sneak up on him and smooch him or something. Anyways, a little bit about Dylan will be exposed more and more, like the little bit of info behind Titus's missing leg. I was thinking about throwing some Ranger POVs in, but was unsure. I think it would be nice so that he coudl describe how Dylan looks more, but I am unsure. Well have a great day/night or even both.**


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything except Dylan and Titus. The splendid Janet Evanovich owns the rest. Sometimes it almost makes me cry.**

**Thank you to my splendid reviewers cokkii, Malini, Sannaoo, and Twitch in my eye.********I decided that I will do chapter six entirely in Ranger's point of view. I just think that will be the best way for right now, at least for what I have planned in the next chapter.**

The past three days have been pretty nice. I get up in the morning, change in my new apartment, into dirty clothes but it is better than still living in the car. I then grab something out of my refrigerator, feed Titus, and then go to the bail bonds office. I really need to find someplace to shower and wash my clothes though. I figured I can just go to a Laundromat once I get my paycheck this Friday, two more days won't make a difference with my clothes, but I really need to take a shower.

I was had just put away the last to files for the day when Steph and Lula came in. Lula had gone out earlier to attempt another apprehension, but it looked like she failed again and had no body receipt. I had learned the terms pretty fast at the office and felt as if I knew what I was talking about. I probably actually had them all confused, but I didn't care.

Lula and Connie pressed me every morning for information about what I did at my apartment. The rest of my days were spent with about an hour filing and the rest sitting around doing nothing productive. This morning I was about to start telling them the exact same thing as I had the past two days, but Stephanie came into the door with doughnuts. Titus, who had been lying in the corner near the fake tree, perked up at the sight and smell of the doughnuts, Lula did as well.

"Hey guys thought I would just stop in. Plus I really needed to get away from Joe; he is obsessing over the baby already."

"Pass those over here." Lula snatched the box from Steph and had to push Titus away as she selected her doughnut. The box passed around but I decided not to take any this morning. I figured I had better attempt to get healthy and fit incase my past caught up with me.

We all chatted for while hitting all the normal topics. Lula complained about not being able to pick up an offender, Connie and Steph just gave her crap about it. Apparently Lula was still trying to get Steph to ride shotgun with her, but she refused. The silence hit like a lightning bolt. One second it was a happy talkative little room we were in, the next it was like a morgue.

Connie flicked at the powdered sugar off of her shirt, Lula was just staring absentmindedly, and Steph was trying to look everywhere except the door. Titus came to my side and watched me for a reaction. He apparently wasn't sure about Ranger either. The man in black stepped into the room and it seemed to shrink to the size of a closet, it felt crammed and stuffy.

I saw him look and Connie and Lula, then to Steph where his eyes rested for a moment. He wanted her and his feelings were very obvious. Even though she was taken his feelings hadn't died apparently, and from the feelings in his eyes it was more than just sex for him. I couldn't imagine how hard it had to be for him now that she was married and expecting a child.

I watched as he didn't take notice of me, but I saw his eyes glance towards Titus. He dropped a receipt on the desk in front of Connie and waited for her to write out a check for him. All eyes were fixed on Ranger, mine included. He was hot as he stood in his all black uniform. He definitely pulled off the no color look very well.

I stood up and walked over to a filing cabinet on top of which was a new offender for Ranger to go after. Apparently he tossed anything small off to the side. It wasn't worthy of his skill level I guess. I grabbed the file and looked inside over the information quick. I couldn't believe some of the stuff this man had done that Ranger was supposed to go after. Well I believed it; I had known people to do the same type of things. The drugs charges, rape, and beating of women was common everywhere, but the two attempts to try and kill a cop were horrible.

"Here, have at it." I looked at Ranger as I extended my hand, holding the file in front of him. He looked down at me; his brown eyes stared back at me unnervingly. He didn't take the papers right away, he just looked at me, trying to figure out what I was up to I think. I didn't get a reply as he took the manila folder from me and grabbed his check. He glanced back at me once before turning towards the door.

"Holy crap! You gotta quit messin' with Batman girl. He might kill you next time." Lula exclaimed as before shoving the rest of a doughnut into her mouth.

"You see what Lula and I tried to tell you? She is worse then you were with him."

"I think he likes it." Steph's voice seemed distant as she said this. "I saw him looking at her. She is going to be a way for him to forget about me."

"What?" I nearly choked on my fingernail that I had been chewing on. "You delusional right now, your hormones are out of control at the moment. Plus, I haven't been able to shower since I got into town. At least when I was on the road I could go to some truck stops that had showers, at my apartment all I have is a sink and a toilet."

This caused the other three to look at me and burst into hysterical laughs. I didn't know what they were finding so funny at the moment, but apparently they knew something I didn't. I sat quietly waiting for someone to tell me something, or for the laughter to subside so I could say something. When it finally did get quiet they just looked at me, their faces showing obvious amusement.

"Oh there are places to shower there, Wonder Woman here," Lula nodded her head at Steph, "stayed there." Lula winked at me and an evil grin appeared on her face.

"Oh shut up." Stephanie elbowed her and then looked at me with a light smile. You can always use the shower in the locker room at the gym. I never did, but I suppose I always had Ranger's to use." I must have had a dumbfounded expression on my face because she then started explaining some stuff to me. "On the fourth floor there is a big gym, which I barely ever entered, with a locker room. Granted it is only a men's locker room, but I suppose you could make sure no one came in somehow. Now Ranger had a huge apartment up on the seventh floor. There is no way you will be getting up there unless he lets you up, or you can get one of the guys to let you up there."

"Wow" I didn't want to tell her that Ranger wasn't allowing me to go in any other part of the building besides my apartment and the garage. I didn't want her to get mad at him over anything or interfere in their relationship anyway. "I guess I never actually looked anywhere else in the building."

"There isn't really anything special in there unless you like to work out or you are actually working for Ranger."

"Or sleeping with him." Lula piped in quickly, earning her an elbow in the side.

Stephanie went home before lunch and Lula went out to attempt another apprehension. Connie and I talked, we were becoming pretty good friends, but I could tell that I wasn't someone she would really hang out with anywhere other than work. I could probably get Stephanie and Lula to go out sometime, but I wasn't going to ask. I felt like I was invading their space already.

"I guess I am going to go home, I am bored and there aren't any other files for me to do. I will talk to you tomorrow." I grabbed Titus as Connie said goodbye and we walked out to my car. Titus hopped in first and then I started us up and drove to the building in which we were staying. I had been parking on the street the past few days and decided to continue doing so. I was already taking up space in the building; I didn't want to take someone's parking space. I grabbed the last box that was in my car and headed towards the security gate.

I donned a green sports bra and some black Capri yoga pants that I had bought on a whim, and pulled on my ClimaCools. I grabbed my backpack which I had thrown some pajamas and flip-flops into, along with a towel and a few other shower necessities. Titus was waiting by the door but I made him go stay inside the apartment as I headed to the elevator. I punched the fourth floor button and tapped my foot anxiously. As the doors binged open I immediately wanted to disappear.

Every eye on the floor was looking at me, men were frozen in half attack mode on the mats, guys on treadmills stumbled, and people jumping rope tripped. I stepped out into the huge gym; I didn't want them to think they were intimidating me. Although I felt like I could pee my pants I wasn't going to let them know. I was just as tough as they were, and I didn't put up with crap. Well that is what they were going to think.

I smiled at them all as I made my way through the gym, taking in everything. There seemed to be every type of exercise machine ever designed, not to mention all of the weightlifting equipment. I threw bright smiles at everyone as I passed and said some small 'hellos' now and then. They attempted to resume their workouts but I could tell they were all still distracted. Apparently this really was and 'all guys' place.

I saw the locker room and looked at all the guys before stepping closer. I turned to the whole gym and found all of the men staring at me once again. I wasn't sure if I could carry through with my plans of not, but I at least had to try. The men all seemed anxious to what I was going to do.

"Okay, so I need to start getting some muscle, and I plan on showering everyday after I attempt at working out. So I think that if it will be convenient for all of you, I will just choose a designated time to shower. All I need is fifteen minutes to shower and get dressed." Stupidity plagued all of their faces as I spoke, apparently they weren't expecting this. Most of them probably didn't even know I was in the building. "So I was thinking I should shower at 7:30 or so every morning, I can take nights to if that doesn't work."

A lot of mumbling passed through the men as they questioned one another, they were definitely unsure about this new proposition. I wondered if they were all going to go to Ranger and he would hunt me down in the middle of the night. Oh wells, I was already here. I was going to get a place to shower, Ranger could just bite me.

"Ranger said if you guys couldn't come up with a time I could decide." I waited a little while for the men to come up with a time, tapping my foot impatiently on the floor. I really hoped that I wasn't going to get my butt kicked anytime soon for this. "Okay, I am just going to come in and shower every night after work. Let's say that I get the Locker room from 7:00 until 7:15. That will give me enough time to work out and then you guys can have it all the rest of the time."

Silent nods went around the room. Apparently I was a good liar because they all took my crap as the truth. I looked over at a guy near a bench press and went and asked him for help. He said he was going to go in for the day, but he would grab Lester to come help me. I was soon greeted by a friendly looking guy in his thirties. I introduced myself and simply told him that I needed to beef up to kick some butt. He took my backpack and threw it against the wall and then told me to lie down on the bench.

"We'll just start with the bar that is forty-five pounds. Your arms are pretty scrawny." He flicked at my upper arm as he joked around. I didn't know why but I was really comfortable with him, like the big brother I never had. I punched him in the shoulder to show him that there was more to my little arms than he thought. He just looked at me, his face confused and surprised that I had actually punched him.

"You pretty much just insulted me, you deserved that."

"Well don't tell Ranger, he'll shoot me." I didn't know what he meant but I didn't say anything back. I just worked with the bar for a while, and decided that after fifteen minutes that was enough exercise for me, forever. I lay on the bench, my chest rising and falling with every deep breath. I felt like I was going to die, I know that I had barely been doing anything, but I am really out of shape.

"Okay," deep breath "can you," I couldn't think of anything except my breathing, "clear out the locker room?" I asked Lester, a twisted smile played over his lips, and an evil twinkle appeared in his eyes.

"No problem." He walked off and hollered to all of the guys that were in the gym currently, "If you need to piss do it now, Dylan is taking over the locker room in three minutes." He smiled back at me and I closed my eyes as he went into the locker room. Soon a shadow lurked over me and I opened my eyes to see him standing over me once more. "All done Hun, you can go shower now. That is if you can walk."

"You're a jerk. I barely know you and you are already giving me crap." I shook my head at him with a large flirtatious smile as I stood up and went to my bag.

"It's only because you look hot and I can tell you're not wearing underwear in those pants." I stood up quickly from bending over to pick up my backpack and stared back at him. A wolfish smile was spread wide and a few of the guys near by were laughing. Shaking my head I just walked away, to shocked to reply, and entered the locker room. I heard all of the men burst out in conversation as I passed through the entryway.

I walked into the shower and turned the water on before grabbing my shampoo and getting under the water. I scrubbed my hair and used the lather to wash my body. I was thankful that I didn't really have to worry about shaving because my hair barely grew, and I had shaved at the last truck stop. I quickly rinsed off and shut the water off and walked into the locker area once more. I went to the bench that I had set my backpack, towel, and clothes on and found it empty. I realized that one of the guys must have some in and stole it.

I looked around and found a white 'wife beater' and pulled it on to cover my cold, wet, naked body. I was thankful that I was smart enough to wear my sandals into the shower other wise I would probably have athletes foot on top of having no clothes. I took a deep breath and mustered the courage to walk out into the gym to retrieve my clothes from the men. I pulled down the tank top that was to large on me and began to stomp across the tile.

I stepped out into the gym with an aggressive look plastered to my face. I looked around to see all of the men staring at me; they must have all been watching the doorway expectantly. Lester stood in the middle of the men with my bag. I sighed heavily and stomped over to him. All of their eyes were devouring me right now and I wanted to scream. I stood silently in front of Lester waiting for him to hand over my belongings.

"How was your shower, as good as the after show for us?" His wolf grin was back and I couldn't help but smile back, if only he knew what was coming. I spun around with my hands in the air as if I was surrendering; let them all get a good look if that was what they really wanted.

Then I stood facing Lester once more, a sly smile growing on my face now. I threw my arm back and punched him square in the jaw. The punch sent him staggering back into a couple of guys and my backpack fell onto the floor. Quickly picked it up, careful to not expose any more than was already visible, before looking at Lester once more.

"Wow, lifting weights really pays off. See you around stud." I pushed through the men and was thankful when the elevator opened immediately after I called it. At least they couldn't see me any longer, but just to make sure I hit the elevator stop button and rummaged my clothes out of my bag. Lifting the dirty wife-beater off, I pulled on a blue tank top of my own and a pair of green plaid boxer shorts. I then threw the shirt into the corner of the elevator before pressing the button to let it bring me to my apartment floor.

With a heavy sigh I stepped out and made my way down the hallway to my door. I inserted the key and was happy when Titus bounded over to me and licked at my arms. Throwing down my bag I went into the bedroom without turning any lights off and climbed under the comforter. I really felt like brining Titus down to that gym and allowing him to chase the men around and chew on them a little. Instead I just rolled over and closed my eyes, sleep taking over as I let the thoughts leave me. I definitely wasn't going to be telling any stories about this.

**Well I hope this chapter worked for you guys. I was unsure about what floor certain things belonged on so I just sort of guessed. If you know for sure and could tell me that would be great, if not it will just have to work. Please review if you can. Well keep having wonderful lust filled thoughts about Ranger! **


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER: Janet Evanovich owns it all except Dylan and Titus. **

**This chapter is entirely Ranger's point of view. I hope it works for you guys. **

I don't know what had gotten into my men, but for the last three weeks they all meet up in the control room and watch the monitors. I don't know if someone had gotten a habit of walking by the building everyday around six thirty or if they are getting some new show that they feel they must all watch together. It all started after Lester got in a fight with someone, he wouldn't give me any names; he just said he had it coming. Something I couldn't argue with, I've been tempted to hit him for quite a while.

Today I walked by on the way up to my office and saw them all congregating around the monitors once more. I couldn't stand them not using this time to get work done. I walked up behind the oblivious men and looked over Jess's shoulder. On the largest monitor they had a camera on in the gym. An all too familiar girl was attempting to do squats, stopping for about five minutes after every three she did. Her black pants were tight and hugged her backend nicely, even I had to acknowledge why they were watching her.

I noticed her dog was lying on a sparring mat off to the side watching the door. Apparently she wanted to make sure she was alone. She was probably embarrassed of how she looked working out, or that she couldn't do anything. I stepped back a little as Lester made his way away from the monitors and towards the elevator. All the men made cheering sounds as he disappeared behind the metal doors.

Soon he was on the monitors as well, and Titus was on his feet. Dylan set her hands on her narrow hips and looked Lester over I watched as she said something and Lester put his hand over his eye, I had just found out who had given him the black and blue eye. He apparently was a smooth talker because they walked over to the bench press and she laid down, ready to do some lifting. She did about five reps with just the bar before stopping and shaking her head, she wasn't one to exercise much.

I shook my head and was about to go to my office when one of the men said that she was going to the showers now. I wouldn't step foot in those showers, not to insult my men, but they are dirty. Lester waved and walked away as she crossed through the doorway into the locker room. Titus looked like he was sleeping and Lester's figure was creeping towards the door now. I watched as he entered and came out with a small pile of clothes and a towel. As he looked up at the camera triumphantly Titus sprang to life, chasing Lester to the door, but not getting a good little bite out of his pants before Lester made it into the elevator.

I couldn't believe what these guys were up to, although I did tell her to only go to her apartment and the garage. She should have listened; it was brought upon her because she didn't obey my rules. Lester came up to the control room and walked towards the men, a triumphant smile on his face and a slight limp in his walk, and a chunk of his black pants missing.

"Someone else is going to have to start doing the clothes run from…" Lester saw me and froze, all of the men finally took notice of something else besides the girl and stared back shocked. I just shook my head at them; I wasn't going to tell them to stop because she had brought it on herself. I glanced back at the monitor through the corner of my eye and had to turn to look at it full on to see if I was seeing correctly. The men followed my gaze and they all thanked Lester for the view they now had.

Dylan walked across the gym proudly, her head held high as she made her way to the elevator. I couldn't help but smile as she reminded me of someone else. Her hair was long and dripped water down her back, her arms swung lightly as her hands stayed balled up into fists. She looked like she was grinding her teeth and was about to kill someone at the moment. Her legs were toned and her stomach flat. I couldn't believe that she wasn't covering herself with her hands, but she probably didn't know about the cameras that were everywhere. As she climbed into the elevator the men switched the monitor over and were now watching as she attempted to cover herself with her hands as much as possible, obviously expecting someone to get on with her.

"Don't do it again after tonight." The men looked at me seriously and I knew they would listen, they may no want to, but they would. I just walked off to my office trying to wipe the image of her naked from my mind, but I couldn't help but seeing it in my bed.

The following night I was waiting in my car outside of a club waiting for Gino Maritzo to come out, or my distraction to get in there and get him out for me. I got a call of the wire that Gino had found himself someone else to play with for the night and they were out dancing at the moment. I didn't know how we were going to grab him if we couldn't get him outside. I wasn't going to go in and make a scene with him. If Tank wasn't still mending some broken bones I would have sent him inside.

"Just get in between them and get him outside." I growled into the microphone that transmitted to the little ear piece my distracter was wearing. I didn't get a response so I knew that she was doing as I had commanded. Jeanne Ellen and I had worked together many times, and recently I had employed her to help with distraction cases since I could no longer use Steph. Granted Steph was still as beautiful as ever, but no man was going to take a pregnant woman home with him.

"Hey honey, want to get out of here?" I heard Jeanne purr to Gino.

"Naw, I got my woman right here." I heard Gino over the mic.

I waited as Jeanne said goodbye and waited for her to tell me more. "You need to get in here; I can't get him off of this girl. She looks like she is disgusted with him, but he wont let her get away from him. I don't want her to get hurt Ranger, she is young."

"Just make one more try, if he won't go with you I will come in with Jess and Adam." I looked over at the SUV that was parked a few spaces over in the parking lot and got a little light flash of confirmation. They were listening to our conversation so that they knew what was going on as well. I listened as Jeanne attempted once more to get Gino, but he just told the girl that they were getting out of there. I could here a faint rebuttal as she tried to get away from him, but with no avail.

"They'll be coming out the door any second, get ready Ranger."

I got out of my car and set my hand on the gun I had tucked in the side of my waistband. I heard two doors close and I knew that Adam and Jess were outside of their vehicle ready for the take down. Watching the front door I watched as Gino came out first and watched him pull the girl outside. I froze as I saw the familiar face of Dylan, disgust and fear evident in her features.

"I have to get back to my place, it was nice meeting you." She tried to get away from him but he held fast to her hand. I looked her over to make sure nothing had happened to her yet. She was wearing a simple red tee-shirt and an old pair of ripped up jeans that she seemed to wear everyday. Her hair was up and it looked like it had gotten pulled a little by the way that it was off to the side.

"You are going to come home with me." Gino began to drag her towards the vehicle that I had picked out as his, but she started to struggle against him; pushing away from him, trying to get his hand off of her wrist. He grabbed her ponytail and she quit moving, I realized that this is probably how he got her outside in the first place. Her face was twisted in pain, but anger plagued her large brown eyes. I saw her kick out before I could yell for Gino to get his hand off of her.

Not only did she kick him in the groin, I mentally groaned as I saw this, she kneed him in the gut and gave him a hard punch to the face. She was breathing hard, I could see her chest rising and falling from where I was, as she looked down at him with disgust eminent on her face. She stepped on his side as she began to walk off, but he lifted a hand from his crotch and grabbed her ankle, causing her to fall.

I tried to run over to catch her but she hit the ground before I had a chance. She cried out as she hit the pavement shoulder first. Jess and Adam were right by me the next moment, they looked over at me and then quickly grabbed up Gino who didn't even resist, he just continued to cradle himself in his hands. Jeanne came over at a light jog, which I was amazed at with the shoes she was wearing. She looked down at Dylan who was lying on the ground with her eyes closed at the moment.

"Is she okay?" I don't know if she was really concerned for Dylan's safety, or that fact that I could have a lawsuit on my hands at any moment.

"I'll get her cleaned up, you two take him in." Adam and Jess were now standing by empty handed, they must have loaded Gino into the SUV already. "I'll send you a check tomorrow."

Dylan groaned and rolled over, her eyes still shut. She kicked out her leg and I assumed she was attempting to kick at Gino who she still presumed was on the ground besides her, instead she clipped my in the calf, and the tennis-shoes she was wearing were harder than I expected. Jeanne Ellen looked at me once more and I gave her a small nod of dismissal and then turned back down to Dylan. Her exposed shoulder was shredded from hitting the pavement with it, and she had a large cut on her forehead.

I bent down beside her and tried to stand her up, but she was limp in my arms. I assumed it was from the pain and concussion she had probably suffered. Her body clearly wasn't used to abuse, or it had taken so much that it just shut down now when it was received. I carried her over to my car and set her inside, she seemed to be sleeping as I tried to wake her up. If she did have a concussion it would be bad for her to fall asleep. She didn't move and I realized that I had to get her taken care of.

I drove to where I knew I could get her help immediately, no waiting in the emergency room. She felt small and vulnerable in my arms as I carried her inside. I went in immediately upon arrival because I had called to let them know I was coming. Bonita met us at the front door and told me to take her down to the second room on the left. I followed the direction and walked with heavy thoughts in my mind.

I didn't really know Dylan that well but she didn't take crap from my men and I liked that. I didn't know why she was in town or any of her past but I was curious. Searches on my computer turned up nothing unusual. She had apparently gone to North Dakota State University, graduated and began working at an architecture company, designing houses and puling in a really good salary. She married her college sweetheart, and was apparently still married to him. She didn't have any kids, and had never gotten a speeding ticket, let alone broken any other laws.

I brought her into the room and laid her down on the medical bed that was there. She didn't move or react to the movement of being set down. I waited until my friend, and fellow service member, Ramon came into the room. I knew he was a capable doctor; he had fixed me up quite a few times after I had been stupid. He looked down at her and then up at me with no words.

I watched as he lifted her eyelids and shined light into them and took her other vitals. He was quiet as he cut her tank top away from the torn up skin. He cleaned it out and stitched up a few places, the rest of her shoulder and upper arm were covered in gauze. He then looked at the cut on her head and cleaned and stitched that wound as well before turning to me. Shaking his head he walked me to the door and we proceeded down the hallway.

"She didn't drink anything, it just seems that her body was exhausted to begin with, but then the pain and slight concussion just made her shut down. You can take her home or leave her here, she will be fine tomorrow." Ramon looked at me like it was my fault that this happened to her. "Look Ric, you need to be careful with these girls."

I didn't have a response because I was too surprised with what he had just said. It wasn't like I invited her along, or even knew that she was going to be out tonight. She was a trouble magnet and it just found her tonight. If I hadn't been there she probably would be in much worse of shape. If I hadn't had Jess and Adam take Maritzo in, he could have gotten up and taken her home. I knew that she wouldn't be alive tomorrow probably if that had happened, so I really did save her.

"I'll take her back to her place." I went back into the room and picked her up, and Bonita came in and draped a blanket over her in my arms. Out in the car I leaned the seat back and tucked the blanket in around her now shivering form. Sliding into the driver's seat I pulled out of the lot and drove on autopilot back to the office. As I pulled into the lot I saw Adam and Jess waiting by the SUV, and they began to walk towards my car as I parked.

"Here is the body receipt." Adam looked down at Dylan in my car. "She is pretty cute, reminds me of Bomber a little by the way she acts." I glared over at the two and they began to walk away. I pulled her out of the car and walked over to the elevator myself, calling it down with the button. I knew that the guys were watching me right now on the camera and wondering what happened to her. Ad the elevator opened I hit the button to the fifth floor and waited to reach our destination. I walked to her apartment and paused as I realized I didn't have a key with me to open her apartment.

With a resignated sigh I walked back to elevator and hit my keychain fob to bring me up to my apartment. I walked in and set her down lightly on my couch. She groaned and rolled over, her face contorting in pain. I leaned down as tucked the blanket around her, I had to find the extra key to her apartment so that I could get her in her own place. I caught the faint smell of her as I moved the blanket, and found myself with the mental image of her walking naked through the gym once more in my head.

I left my apartment and went in search of the extra key, when I found it I went to her apartment and opened the door to find Titus pacing around anxiously. Apparently he wasn't used to being away from Dylan and was stressing over her, if that was possible for a dog. Titus walked towards me, holding eye contact and I felt like I was going to be eaten by him. This dog was smarter than anyone thought; his look seemed to ask me where she was. I walked past him and into her bedroom to see if it was going to work to bring her down here.

A huge pile of dirty clothes sat in the corner and I remembered her taking her clothes to the laundry mat one day a couple of weeks ago, she obviously needed to go again. I would have to ask Ella to pick up her clothes and wash them for her while she was injured. The bed was unmade and looked like the dog had been sleeping in it rather than she had. I would just grab some clean clothes, bring them and the dog back up to my place and have Ella change her and look after her. I dug around and found nothing to be clean, not even a pair of underwear, Ella would just have to figure something else out for her to wear.

"Let's go" Titus followed me cautiously all the way back to the elevator and looked me over skeptically in the elevator. I felt ridiculous, but this dog was going to drive me insane. Upon entering my apartment he seemed to sense Dylan and went right over to the couch, where he sat down and looked from her to me, a little bit more of his teeth showing with every glance at me. "I didn't do!" Great, now I was talking to the dog, this girl was going to be the death of me. My men could barely keep their eyes off of her, and now I was going crazy and talking to her three legged dog, and considering that he would fit the RangeMan dress code since he was completely black.

I sighed and walked to the fridge, for once I could really use a drink, but I didn't have any. I needed to get Ella, but it was already the middle of the night and I would have to figure something out myself. Going into my room I grabbed a tee-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. They would be too big on her, but they would keep her shivering body warm. I went to the side of the couch and pulled back the blankets, Titus watching every move.

"You better cover your eyes." I shook my head at my realization of talking to the dog again as I began to remove what was left of her shirt. I had her lying in a simple yellow sport bra, my eyes taking her all in, it wasn't the sexiest of undergarments but it looked good on her small chest. I pulled my shirt halfway over her head and had it up around her stomach as I began to take off her dirty jeans. I looked over at the dog as I was undoing her pants, making sure he wasn't going to attack me. When I turned back to her I was surprised to see her not wearing any underwear, I quickly pulled her pants off and covered her with the blanket. I couldn't put my pants onto her for some reason, I felt guilty at seeing her exposed more.

I went to my room and undressed before getting into the shower, the dog wouldn't move from her side, so I just left him alone. I was washing my hair, which I had cut off after finding out that Steph was going to marry Joe, thinking about everything. Things had defiantly changed quickly with this new girl in town, and I had a feeling they were just going to get even worse. I had to get her out of the building if I wanted anything to be accomplished by anyone around here. I got the picture of her lying on my couch and rinsed off before getting out and going to my bedroom where I slipped on some sweatpants, noticing a bruise forming on the back of my calf, and climbed into bed.

The next morning Dylan hadn't moved at all and neither had her dog. As I was moving towards the door I heard a moan and turned to see her sit up and rub her head before groaning in pain. She looked around confused and then saw me and her eyes grew wider then they normally were. She winced as she moved her arm, taking in her clothes, and giving me a questioning look. It was obvious she remembered last night, but I think that she was just trying to figure out where I played into everything. I looked at my watch and then walked over towards the couch stopping a few feet away.

"Gino Maritzo was a skip I had to pick up, you got in the way. I brought you here after taking you to get cleaned up. I will have Ella bring you up some food and clean clothes of your own so that you can go back to your own place. You probably are going to want to lay around for the rest of the weekend." Then I turned around and was almost back at the door when she stopped me.

"Uhmm can I use your bathroom?" I turned and looked to see her standing on shaky legs, my shirt hitting her mid-thigh. I looked at her and gave a small nod and was about to turn around once more when she spoke again. "Well where is it?"

"Through there." I pointed at my bedroom and watched as she began to walk that way. As she walked I watched her backside through my shirt, the couple of squats I had seen her doing had definitely paid off. I turned back and headed out the door and into the elevator, where I headed to my office. When I stepped out into the control floor I got a lot of questioning looks from the men, which I just ignored, well tried to. I kept getting the image of her wearing my shirt in my mind, and her lying on my couch last night.

**Hope you enjoyed it. I was really unsure of how to write it, and the chapter completely changed from how I origanally planned it. I hope it will play out okay though. Did it move to fast? Some parts might move a lot fast now, I don't know, I just am not going to write chapters designated to just one day thought I don't think. I really don't know for sure actually. It is up to you guys to decide. Please review if you can, if not I am just glad you read it. Later.  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER: Yet again nothing really belongs to me, only to Janet Evanovich.**

**This chapter is a little bit of Dylan's view and then more of Ranger's. My story line has changed a little, I don't know how it will play out. I hope you guys don't hate it. Oh, I re-read Eleven on Top this morning because I wanted to check some things, and I found out that the office part where the men work is on teh fifth floor, so I will eventually have to go back and change my earlier chapters. I changed it so that the apartments were on the sixth floor now, just to let you know. I caught quite a few other mistakes after I had posted this right away this morning so I took it off and re-posted. Sorry for the inconvinence.  
**

**Thanks cokkii for reviewing.**

**Sorry rangersgal for having Steph marry Joe, but I wanted to experiment with and original charecer with Ranger. I am a complete Babe fan also.**

The past couple of weeks have sucked at Vinnie's. I had to explain to Connie and Lula what had happened to me and how I had gotten so beat up, and when I told them that I had woke up in Ranger's apartment they immediately freaked out. Everyday they press me for details, questioning me if I have even talked to Ranger, which I haven't. He sent a guy to take me to have my stitches removed, but other than that I have heard nothing. I only see him when he comes into the office, and he pretty much avoids any type of confrontation with me.

Steph hadn't been coming in anymore; she was just lying around the house being a lazy fat lady as she liked to call herself. She came in the day after I came in with my injuries, but that was because Lula and Connie had called her to tell her everything. So when she came in she questioned me, and then when Ranger entered he didn't even look at her. I think that may be the reason she hasn't come into the office. I invaded her territory I think, and I felt horrible.

"Connie, I can't work here anymore. Thanks for everything." I said at the end of the day.

"What do you mean you can't work here? I'm not going back to filing!" Lula nearly knocked the couch over as she jumped up off it.

"I can't, Steph has to be able to come in here and with me here she wont. She was here first and I can't just take over. I could still come in on the weekends or something, but not during the week when she normally came to visit. Plus, fall is coming, and then winter. I will have to find another job so that I can find a new apartment and pay the rent." I received baffled looks from the two and then just shrugged my shoulders.

"You can stay here, plus Steph needs to realize that Ranger if free to do what he wants, even you. Hell if I had the chance I would jump on him, who cares what Steph thinks, it's Batman for Christ's sake!" Lula seemed to be heavily considering Ranger-sex right now.

"But…"

"You can't go; I can actually find stuff now." Connie smiled up at me before grabbing a file. "Plus I need you to bring this to Ranger."

I grabbed the folder and made a face at her before I turned and walked out the door with Titus. I my car back, I had Lula take me to it a couple days after the incident at the club. I drove to the office building and parked in the garage since it had started to rain and I didn't want to get wet today. I fell into my routine and went to the elevator and hit the sixth floor instinctively. When the doors opened up onto the floor that my apartment was on, I got out and went and changed into some clothes to try and work out again, which I hadn't for three weeks. Back in the elevator I hit the floor button that Ranger's office was on. I deeply wished that I could get back up into his apartment and use his shower instead of the locker rooms. I hadn't gotten the chance when I had spent the one night there, and I keep on thinking about it.

"Hey guys." I said hello to all the guys that I had come to know over the past month and made my way to the dragon's lair that was Ranger's office. I knocked on the door and didn't get a cry to go away or leave him alone so I pushed open the door. Ranger looked up from the papers that he was going over on his desk. "Connie wanted me to drop this off, apparently it is pretty important."

I threw the folder onto his desk and he looked through it quickly. He ran a hand through his hair as if he was stressed out at the moment. It was odd seeing him again after all of the avoiding each other for the past couple of weeks. He looked just as good as he had before, if not better. Even though we weren't together I felt like the time apart not seeing him, even just for brief moments at the office, had made me want him even more. I figured now was as good of time as any to mention that I wasn't going to be an inconvenience here very much longer.

"I just wanted to thank you for letting me stay here for a while. I will be out of the apartment in a week just to let you know." He looked back up with me, obviously he had thought I had left, and was surprised with what I had just said. "Thanks it really helped me get on my feet."

I didn't get a reply; he just continued to look at me. His eyes took in my bare stomach, the curves of my hips and small swell of my breasts. His face seemed to register something, I don't know what but he seemed to be looking at me in a new light. "Can you work for me tonight?"

I looked around the room for cameras as if this was some joke that was going to be on television. When I looked back at him he was waiting impatiently for an answer. I didn't know what to say so I just stood their and shrugged my shoulders. I bet I really looked childish just then, if not like a complete idiot.

"I need someone to do distraction tonight and my usual is out of town at the moment. I will pick you up at your apartment at nine tonight, be ready." He looked back at the papers on his desk and I realized that I no longer had a choice in the matter. I just turned and headed back out the door. I also considered that I hadn't put on my exercising clothes to actually work-out, I think I did it to show off to Ranger a little. I decided upon heading back to my apartment and lying around a little until I had to get ready to work with Ranger tonight.

It was 8:30 when I looked at the clock and put my book down to go get ready. I didn't really have a lot of black clothes, I knew of one pair of pants besides my yoga pants, a tank top, and one tee-shirt. I think that was all of the black clothes that I owned. I pulled on the pants and tee-shirt before taking my hair out of the pony tail and putting it into two long braids on the sides of my head. I grabbed an old softball hat that I had got in college and sat back on the couch waiting. I was ready to kick some but, and I thought Ranger was going to be quite happy to see me in that all black RangeMan attire, well except for the red hat.

I knocked on the door at exactly nine and was surprised when Dylan appeared at the door ready to go. I actually don't know if I more surprised with whether she was ready or what she was wearing. I looked at her, and couldn't help but mentally smile as I took in her outfit. She had on a pair of black Adidas sandals, a black tee-shirt, a ball cap, and black leather pants that hugged her lower body in the right places. I don't know if she thought that the all black attire was mandatory for this part of the job as well.

"I know the pants are too tight, they were a Halloween thing a while ago, but they were the only black pants I have." She looked at herself with slight unease and then back at me, she dressed for the company standards, not to pick up the guy like she was supposed to, and apparently she hadn't really been listening to me as I told her what she was going to be doing. She still looked sexy in the pants and a tighter and lower cut shirt would have helped, but the pants would get the job done. She wore a bright smile and no makeup, but her face was light and she had some freckles that I hadn't noticed on her nose. Her large brown eyes stared back eagerly, ready for adventure.

I just nodded and turned to have her follow me to the elevator, I could here her explaining to Titus that he couldn't come with as she closed the door behind us. The ride was quiet all the way there but I could tell that she was itching to talk the whole time. Finally when we pulled up into a familiar club parking lot she turned to look at me. "What are we doing here? I thought you had to catch some guy. You know go to his house, knock in the door, beat the crap out of him."

"Not with you along. You're going to go inside and get him. Just act hot and heavy with him and bring him out. I've got two guys in a truck waiting over there and I will be right here if anything goes wrong. Just bring him out here so I can slap the cuffs on him and not make a big scene inside."

"Are you serious?" She sighed and leaned heavily against the back of the seat before looking over at me with a sharp glare. "I am just supposed to act like an easy lay and get him outside? Here I thought it was going to actually be something physically straining or something, not this." I watched as she pushed open the car door and stomped off towards the club entrance. In those pants she was definitely not going to have a problem picking up the guy, and I smiled as she turned and walked back to the car and knocked on my window. Her expression was annoyed and looked as if she was feeling stupid and I had to smile to myself because I knew exactly why she was back.

"What does he look like?" I picked up a photo of him and showed it to her before she stomped off once more. I hoped that she wasn't going to take to long; I had Jack go in with a wire to sit and watch to tell me what was going on. He confirmed that she was in and had found her target. I felt better knowing that I hadn't set her up for a complete scumbag distraction for her first time. This guy was thirty-one and wasn't bad looking, he was trouble though. Jack told me that they were now going out onto the dance floor and I knew that they would soon be outside. That was how it always worked with Steph; she would either get a couple of drinks or go dance for a couple of minutes before leading the guy out the door.

As I sat waiting I couldn't help but wonder about Dylan once again. I didn't know why she was in town, and why her husband or any relatives weren't with her or looking for her. Maybe she had just needed a break and found herself in Trenton. She could stand up for herself, and if she couldn't Titus seemed to be ready to take care of her. If those thoughts weren't enough I was thinking about her walking through the gym naked once again.

I looked at the clock and realized that over a half an hour had passed and Dylan still hadn't brought my skip out. I asked Jack what was going on and he said that she was still dancing with him. He said it was really something to watch, and that I should probably just come in because she looked like she was having too much fun to bring the guy outside. I heaved a sigh and rubbed at my temples; I knew she wouldn't get the job done. I wasn't going to be able to find anyone that could do the job like Steph could.

When I got inside the club it was loud and dark, and I found Jack in his designated area. He pointed out Dylan on the floor and my jaw nearly dropped as I watched her dance. She may as well have been having sex with the skip with the way she was moving. I could tell I wasn't the only one thinking this as I saw the looks she was receiving from other people. Her face was bright with pleasure and her expression showed she was really enjoying herself. Her body was hot and flushed; her skin was wet with some sweat and looked hotter than ever. She looked around and her eyes caught mine and she froze for a moment before continuing to dance.

I watched as her lips moved against my skips ear while she whispered something to him. I don't know if it had some sexual intent in it, but his face looked like he wanted to get her out of there right now. She ground her hips into his a little more before turning and leading him off the dance floor. She looked at me and nodded towards the door, where I quickly disappeared to, and waited outside for her. In a couple of minutes the door pushed open and Dylan had the skip by the hand and was leading him across the parking lot towards my car.

I watched from the side as she pointed at my Porsche and heard her say it was hers. "We can have sex in there before we go back to your place." She licked her lips and even I would have believed what she was saying. As they got to the car she sat up on the hood and looked at me over the skip's shoulder as I began to walk up to cuff him. She pulled him between her legs and ran her hands over his shoulders, pulling his hands behind his back. I snapped the cuffs onto his wrists, told him that he was under arrest and then had Jack take him over to the truck where Hal was waiting.

I stood quietly with her as we watched the other two leave the parking lot. I turned to Dylan who was still sitting on my car and she smiled up at me. "Sorry, I haven't danced in a long time, not since I got married a while ago." I saw the fear in her face as she spoke but didn't mention it. "I would have had him out here sooner but I was having fun, and I actually felt sexy for once."

I just stood in front of her, looking down at her excited face. Her cheeks were pink still and she began to play with her braids as she looked up at me. We waited a couple of minutes out there, just enjoying the weather, and me the sight. I glanced at her again and looked to see her watching a dark blue Chevy pickup truck turn into the lot. She turned away as it drove past, as if she was looking for someone, and I turned to watch it park where Jack and Hal had been.

A man who looked to be a couple of years younger than me got out of the truck. He had on some jeans and a plain tee-shirt and was surveying all of the vehicles. I looked over at Dylan and her eyes showed all of her emotions at that moment. She grabbed the front of my shirt and pulled me into her, and onto the car. She kissed me and wrapped her arms around me hungrily. I could tell by the way she was kissing me that this was just for show. I was unsure of what she was doing so I began to stand back up but she wouldn't let go of my neck.

"Don't let him see me." She whispered her voice held fear as she spoke. I slid my hands under her and picked her up; she buried her face into my shoulder and wrapped her legs around my hips. She was holding on so hard her ankles felt like they were cutting into my back. I went around to the driver's side of my car and unlocked it and looked to see the man walking in towards the club. I slid her inside the car and she crawled over into the other seat where she shrank down and closed her eyes. It looked like she was praying for this all to go away.

"What was that?" I asked, but she just looked at me and pleaded with me to drive. "Tell me."

"Just go and I will." She nearly screamed and I saw that her hands were shaking. I did as she said and waited for her to start talking, when she didn't I just looked over at her. She looked scared and I knew that she was really shaken up over whomever that had been. At the next red-light I pried a little more until she sighed and turned to look at me. I didn't know what I could do once she told me, but I felt like I had put her in this position.

"That was my husband, Tyler, I don't know how he found me, but he knows I'm here in town. Maybe he knows someone here and they told him they saw me, but I need to leave. Wait, Lula took the claim with my insurance company in to get car fixed." I looked at her questioningly, not understanding the full extent of the situation. "He will kill me if he finds me."

I swallowed hard as I started to drive back to the RangeMan building. She didn't say anything; she just leaned against the window with her eyes closed. "You just need to get some sleep."

"I don't need to sleep. I need to get my stuff and get out of town. You just don't understand." I watched a tear slide down her cheek and had to restrain myself to wipe it away. I reached over and set my hand on hers; I felt them tremble beneath mine and didn't say anything else. I felt the urge to protect her, she just reminded me of someone else too much, someone who was always in trouble as well.

When we got into the garage I pulled to a stop and turned to her. She her had hand on the door handle and was ready to run, but I grabbed her shoulder. "You'll be fine if you stay here. He won't ever know to look here." She cocked her head to the side and gave me a look saying she thought I was completely stupid. "Plus, you did well on the distraction, I might need you again."

A small smile spread across her face and her eyes seemed to soften a little as she looked at me. I didn't know what was coming next, but I definitely wasn't expecting her to reach across the car and hug me. She was still shaky as she clung to my chest and I felt my shirt get damp as she sniffed her nose. She pulled away and looked at my shirt, her face gave her away, and she was feeling horrible for what she had just done. I had the urge to squeeze her hand, but instead I just opened my door.

The walk to the elevator was quite and she kept throwing questioning looks at me. While in the elevator I kept wondering if when she kissed me if it had meant anything or it was just purely to save her skin. I didn't think about it again as she got off on the sixth floor, apologizing briefly before turning away and leaving me with a little view of her backend in her leather pants. I went up to my apartment and sat up thinking for a while, when I couldn't fall asleep I went downstairs to do some research.

**So I'm not really liking this story at the moment, I will have to see how the next few chapters go. I hope it is working for you readers. I know a lot of time lapse has happened recently. I just want to get to some Ranger action...I am dying I need it so bad. I was thinking that maybe I could give Dylan just one charecteristic of myself since other than the torn up jeans and constantly wearing Adidas slides and my fascination with Great Danes we have nothing in common. Then I coudl imagine me in the story with Ranger. Ooh ooh sexy. Have a killer day all. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Dylan and Titus. **

A knock on the door at six the next morning sent Titus into a barking frenzy and brought me groggily to my feet. I walked over to the door and threw it open to find Ranger on the other side. He walked inside and stood looking me over. I scratched my head absentmindedly and saw a barely noticeable twitch of his lips to signify amusement. I looked down and saw that I was wearing the tee-shirt I had stolen from him and only a pair of green bikinis. I had put the shirt on last night as something to bring me comfort and make me feel safe and it had for some reason.

I put my arm down and looked at him. He was dressed in his all black attire and looked as if he hadn't slept last night. I walked over to the couch and sat down, he didn't say anything, and I didn't know what to say. Titus was sniffing at Ranger's boots before he walked over to his empty food dish near the cupboards. I stood up and poured out some kibble for him before returning to the couch and finally asking Ranger why he was there.

"Are you going to stay?" He stood at the end of the couch watching me. I wanted to hit him for being stupid and bringing this up right now. I rubbed my legs and stood up, I had been trying to pretend that last night hadn't actually happened but Mr.Can'tForget had to bring it up.

"It wouldn't matter would it?" He just looked back at me blankly, like I was the one being stupid now. "No matter where I go he will probably find me, I might as well just go back to him and let him do whatever again. If he sees my car he will know that it is me, he knows my license plate number."

"Just stay inside then." I just shook my head at his stupidity.

"I have to work; I can't feed pig over there with no income." Titus looked up at me, a slight glare playing his eyes before he turned back to his food.

"I'll drive you; you can work there one day a week and then here the rest of the time. I will pay you the same as the other men." I sighed, he seemed to not want to give up on it and I wasn't in a mood to argue. Honestly I just wanted to curl up in my bed and hide away for the rest of my life. "You'll have to wear the uniform though."

We stood in silence for a moment as I let everything sink in before agreeing to his terms. I looked him over, he was looking just as good this early in the morning as he had every other time I had seen him. I smiled to myself as I came up with one term for the agreement that probably would go. He was trying so hard to make me stay so I was going to play it up to my advantage.

"I want to use your shower from now on if I stay, you could take a cut from my pay if you had to." Even though the men hadn't stolen my clothes for a long time, I still was nervous about it. His blank expression gave away nothing and I thought he was going to say no, but just as I was about to say that I didn't have to he gave a small nod. He turned and walked to the door and turned back to me as he opened it.

"You look good in that shirt, want another one?"

"I need to go to the office today and let Connie and Lula know what is going on." I said ignoring his comment and he turned with another small nod and closed the door behind him. I turned and walked into my room and looked at the large pile of laundry. I wasn't going to be able to go to the Laundromat probably so I had to figure out a way to get my clothes clean. While pulling on some jeans and a sweatshirt I deducted that while I had access to Ranger's shower I would wash my clothes in it.

When I had eaten an apple I turned and went to the elevator, taking Titus down to the garage. We were going to go outside when Ranger pulled into the lot. Titus ran over to his car and immediately peed on his tire. I didn't know where Ranger could have gone in the short time it had taken me to get dressed and eat but he was back. He stepped out and looked over at me, slightly shaking his head as he glanced down at Titus who was hitting another tire.

"You need to make him quit, he does this everyday this car is in here." I looked at Ranger; I had no clue how he knew that since no one else had ever been in the garage when Titus relieved himself on his tires. I just nodded and began to head outside when Ranger told me that I couldn't go out alone. I looked back at him like he was crazy and continued to towards the gate. Ranger just shook his head and turned back to the elevator, I looked back to see him stepping in when the gate wouldn't open for me.

I gave up after a while and went back upstairs where I found Ranger in his office. I folded my arms across my chest and glared at him menacingly. "You can't do that, I have to let my dog outside." No answer, I didn't even get a look up from his work. For a man that was so concerned this morning and last night he sure didn't want to have anything to do with me now. "Fine, I am ready to go to the office."

"You don't need to. Go find Bobby and have him tell you what to do." He still didn't look up at me as he spoke.

"Find Bobby, what can he do?" I had gotten to know Bobby pretty well and if you were to ask me he wasn't the brightest person ever. He was really nice and was a great guy; I think he played stupid so that he didn't have to do a lot of work though.

"You're going to be working here for the next few days. Tomorrow I expect you to dress appropriately for working here." I growled low in my throat, I hated when guys thought they could control me, it drove me nuts. I turned on my heel and went to the door where I stormed out without a word and slammed it as hard as I could. I didn't know if Ranger reacted in his office, but all of the guys that were out on the floor already turned and looked at me.

"Where is Bobby?" I huffed out.

"Okay, basically you are going to look in this box, the inbox, and you will just have to do searches on the people that are in the folders. Once they are done you print out the information, throw it in the folder and put the folder in the outbox." I looked up at him with a look of obvious boredom. "To do the searches you just open up this program," he pointed at one on the computer screen, "enter the names and pick out the stuff you think we don't know or that will be helpful. That is that about it Stunner, any questions?" Bobby and the other guys had been calling me Stunner ever since I had punched Lester.

"No." I stared at the computer and looked at the other things I could do on it. Bobby just clapped me on the shoulder and laughed as he walked away. I opened up the internet and started to play some games. This was going to be a lively living. I don't know how long I had been playing games but Ranger walked by and looked me. I had my head resting on my hand and was staring that the computer screen like a zombie.

"This sucks." I said as I saw him pause at my side. He looked at my computer screen and saw me reading my horoscope. "Venus is supposed to align and cause a new relationship for me at the end of the week, but then Mars pulls out and I am going to be getting into trouble after that. Relationship thing wont happen, but I know I'll get in trouble somehow."

"Just work." He sighed and I let my head fall down onto the desk. At least at Vinnie's Connie and Lula talked to me, it was to quiet here. I looked up at him once more and squished my face up, causing him to shake his head and walk away. I was doing my best to not think about Tyler and what could happen. I just wanted to crawl into Ranger's arms and stay there. I kept thinking about kissing him last night. I had received no reaction from him, so it was obvious that he wasn't going to be new relationship later this week. I knew that my horoscope was crap but it was nice to imagine Ranger naked with me.

I found a music player on the computer and turned it on; all the guys looked over at me when I turned up the volume. Apparently they liked their quietness, well when Ranger was on the floor.. I was told to turn it off so I stood up and decided that I would just work tomorrow. Maybe it would be better after I slept and got clean. That reminded me that I had to ask Ranger how I was supposed to get into his apartment. The men started their low level chatter as I went to his office and found him on the phone with someone. I went and sat in the chair across from him and watched him as he listened to the person on the other line.

His look asked me what I could possibly need and I could tell he was thinking of me now more like a burdensome little child than the adult that needed help. I stood up pretended to wash my hair and my under arms and shave my legs. Apparently he didn't understand charades because he had an even more evident look of question on his face. I grabbed a pen and paper off of his desk and wrote 'shower' in large letters. He nodded his head and dug a key ring out of his desk. I took it happily and left with no more questions.

The showers the rest of the week were better than anything I had ever experienced. The water was like a pulsing massage as it hit my body. I brought up my own shampoo and soap, but during my last shower I knocked a bottle of body wash over that belonged to Ranger and found myself lost in the scent. I don't know if Ranger actually used the stuff because I hadn't noticed the scent on him before. I read the bottle over and decided to smell him next time I was around, because Bulgari was amazing. It made me lustful and I actually had to get out of the shower so I didn't do anything.

I was wrapped one of Ranger's towels around my body and another around my hair and I padded into his bedroom. I looked out the window to see what was going on and then back at his bed. I wanted to jump on it and crawl between the covers. It looked so inviting, and it was huge. I could probably sleep on it with Titus and not even get pushed off the bed. I went back into the bathroom and got dressed to head downstairs and start another day on the computer.

I pulled on a pair of jeans and a yellow tee-shirt. Ranger was probably going to shoot me but I wasn't going to wear those leather pants one more day, or the yoga pants, tank top, and tee-shirt I had. I figured that if I was actually going to keep this job I had probably buy some black clothes, but I would wait until I picked up my paycheck from Connie today when Ranger brings me into the office. I slid my feet into my flip flops and took the elevator downstairs.

At my computer I got a few comments from the guys as they walked by about my clothes, apparently Ranger was going to yell when he saw. I was talking to Tank, who had been working in the office, but was getting ready to do some field work again, when I saw Ranger come out of his office and look at me. I looked back at Tank and told him I had to go and got down on my hands and knees and crawled over to my desk. I climbed up into my chair and pulled up a search quickly; I looked over the top of my computer and saw Ranger walking my way.

"You are supposed to have RangeMan attire on whenever you are working in the office." Obviously Ranger was a little obsessive about his workers. I smiled up at him innocently and he just shook his head lightly as he looked at me. "Fix it."

With those words I got a genius idea in my head and pulled a big black permanent marker out of a can on my desk. I turned my chair away from Ranger so he couldn't' see what I was doing. I turned back to face him with a large smile and RangeMan written in big sloppy letters across my chest. He shook his head and I thought I almost saw a smile pull at his lips as he walked away.

"I'm ready to go when you are!" I call across the floor and all the men looked at my shirt. I shrugged my shoulders and smiled brightly at them before turning back to my computer. I was actually on the last search for the day when Ranger came back to get me. I followed him out to the elevator, and we made our way down to the garage. I was walking instinctively to his Porsche, and was surprised when he told me to get in a black F-150.

Ranger dropped me off at the office and said he would be back to pick me up in a little while. When I entered the office Connie and Lula started screaming and yelling all at once. I couldn't understand anything they were saying, but when they finally had to breathe I asked what they were talking about. Their eyes grew wide and they both glanced towards the door to make sure no one was coming in.

"You're working for him now, and he is your personal chauffer. You must be really good in bed girl." Lula seemed too excited over this to be good. I looked at Connie to see her nodding with raised eyebrows.

"Ha, now that would be nice. I haven't had sex for three and a half years." Both of their mouths dropped and I felt my cheeks burn.

"I can help." Vinnie's disgusting voice cried from inside his personal office.

"Vinnie you dick, quit listening in!" Connie hollered as she turned back to me. "You're joking right? Three and a half years is a long time."

"Yea, well I had some marriage problems." I went over and grabbed some files off of the top of a large stack and began putting them away.

"Well you better tell us what is going on with Ranger girl."

I wasn't sure if I should tell them the truth or not. "Well I offered to work for Ranger for free if I could continue to stay in my apartment and if he would drive me over here a few days a week. I don't think my car is going to be around much longer."

"Shit, that ain't what happened. Ranger won't just drive no one around." Lula scratched her ear as she looked at me expectantly. I knew I wouldn't be able to lie so I figured I had better just tell them the truth. I stuffed a few more files into a drawer before turning to look at Connie and Lula. I glanced at the door to make sure Ranger wasn't outside and then sighed heavily, readying myself to tell them what was actually going on.

"I did a job for Ranger the other night."

"See, you must really be good with your mouth for him to want to keep you around that bad." Lula smiled proudly and I remembered Steph saying that she was a former prostitute.

"No, a distraction job."

"Yea I bet you were distractin' him" Lula and Connie both laughed at this and I couldn't help but smile as well.

"I had to get a skip for him; you know bring him out of the club so he could bring him in." I raised my eyebrows waiting for their answers. They both just nodded and stayed quiet to here the rest of the story. "Well I got the guy out and Ranger had Jack and Hal bring him in, and we were still in the parking lot when Tyler, my ex-husband, pulled into the parking lot. Well I pulled Ranger onto me so that he couldn't tell it was me and then I explained everything to Ranger on the way back to the apartment. Well some stuff, anyways he said that I can stay their and he'll drive me around so that Tyler doesn't know where I am."

"What is up with this ex-husband of yours?" Connie looked at me questioningly.

"Nothing really, I just can't go back to him, he is crazy."

"Do you need him taken care of? Connie has connections." Lula looked at me and I smiled and shook my head, filing some more. They were both quiet for a while as I continued to work until something dawned on Lula. "What do you mean you pulled him onto you? You mean all hot and on top of your body?"

"Pretty much." They both froze as I said this; they were apparently very surprised at what I had done. I turned to the stack of files and continued to talk, ignoring them. "I kissed him too. Well I tried; he didn't kiss me back or anything. I wasn't expecting him to or anything; feelings aren't the same I guess. But his lips felt good none the less. If I pretend we were in a different situation it is actually kind of hot." I bent over to pick up a paper I had just dropped and when I stood up I felt someone standing behind me.

A large hand settled itself on my lower back and I froze up. The heat that was radiating off of the touch was incredible; it felt like my back was on fire. I wanted to turn and see who was behind me, but I knew it was him. It was Ranger, and he had probably just heard everything I had just said. He now probably knew that I wanted him.

"Filly." His voice was amused and he seemed to be enjoying my embarrassment to much. I let his hand slide off my back as he walked over to Vinnie's office and entered it without knocking. I turned to Lula and Connie who both started breathing again and I felt their eyes burning into me.

"He called me Filly." I whispered and the other jumped up and rushed over to me. "He called me a young horse, or a lively girl. He could have at least called me Babe or something hot."

"He can't call you that that was what he called Steph. Oh my god girl. Batman wants you!" Lula seemed ready to scream and Connie had her mouth open. She was about to say something but the door opened up and Ranger walked out, eyes fixed on me. I wanted to shrink into the corner and shoot myself; his amused look was torturing me. He walked to the door and held it open and I realized that it was time for me to go. I quickly walked out, not able to look at him and made my way over to his truck.

On the way home I couldn't do anything except stare out the window. Ranger's usual silence was killing me even more than usual. He could at least acknowledge what he heard me saying; let me know if he felt anywhere close to the same feelings. I turned and opened my mouth to say something, but closed it and stared back out the window. I kept glancing at him out of the corner of my eye; he was completely oblivious to me.

When we reached the office I jumped out of the couch and walked hurriedly to the elevator. I was hoping that the doors would open up and allow me in before Ranger caught up but I wasn't so lucky. We stood in the elevator silently, me avoiding looking at him with all costs. When the doors opened up to my apartment floor I hurriedly thanked him for the ride and stepped out. I quickly walked to my apartment and once inside, I closed the door and locked it, leaning against it, breathing hard.

**I had to put a tiny bit of Ranger action in, I just was growing so...needy. Anyways the nickname is stupid, but it will eventually get to a little Ranger teasing, if you have a better nickname let me know, suggestions would be great. Was it to early to throw it (Ranger action) in? Let me know your thoughts.  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**DISCLAIMER: Oh I wish Ranger was mine, I would have him in my be everyday...anyways He and pretty much everything belongs to Janet Evanovich. **

The next Monday I woke up to find a large box sitting on the floor by my dresser, a small note with 'wear them' scrawled on it let me know who had been in my apartment. I opened the box to find it full of black RangeMan tee-shirts. I sighed and pulled one over my head. It was tighter than my normal shirts. I was used to buying men's tee-shirts so that they were longer and not as tight, plus they had high collars to prevent any glances down my shirt. I tore the shirt off and threw it on the floor.

Ranger may kill me for not wearing them, but that shirt was uncomfortable. I grabbed an orange tee-shirt and pulled it on along with a pair of jeans. I probably should have worn the shirt, but the tight feeling of it made me itch and I didn't want to have my hands up my shirt scratching all day. I smiled at Titus as I opened the door to take him out to the garage. Ranger still wasn't letting me go outside the building without him, so I had come up with my own little form of revenge a couple days ago.

Titus galloped out of the elevator and ran over to the familiar black Porsche where he continued his habit of peeing on Ranger's tires. After that he looked at me and I nodded, where upon he squatted down and pooped right next to Ranger's door. I smiled and patted Titus on the head. I was hoping that Ranger had been the one to clean up the mess Titus had left for him the past three days. If he wasn't cleaning it up, I hoped he had stepped in it with his boots at least once.

In the control room I was playing solitaire on the computer, it was my fifth game and I still hadn't won. I heard some of the men joking around a little ways over and I looked to see Hal, Ram, and Tank all laughing as they watched the monitors. I walked over, leaned on Ram and looked down at the screens. Ranger was standing next to the Porsche, staring down at one of his boots with a face that was completely unreadable.

"You know that once he finds you he isn't only going to kill you, but your dog too." Bobby came up behind me and handed me a bottle of grape juice.

"I'd like to see him try; I would go kung-fu on him." I lifted my arms and karate chopped the air for support of my statement. This go a few light smiles from a couple of the men and then Lester came in and laughed.

"Boss man is looking for you Stunner, better hide." He stopped and stared at my clothes. "You still aren't wearing the uniform either, you're dog food." I swallowed hard and excused myself.

"I think I need to go to the bathroom." I got a lot of chicken remarks back from them as I took off across the floor, the elevator doors pinging open as I rounded a corner. I stood behind a large plant that was in a little alcove and prayed he hadn't seen me. I heard him talking to the men and then it was completely quiet. I didn't know what was going on, but I was holding my breath and had my eyes squeezed shut. Any little noise I made could give me away right now, and I wasn't ready to die yet.

An ominous shadow seemed to sweep over me and I opened one eye to see Ranger standing with his hands on his hips. I could smell something absolutely foul and looked down at his feet. I could see a brown tint to his right boot, and couldn't help but release a small giggle. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me out from behind the plant and pulled me to his office. Once inside he released my wrist and stalked to his desk.

"Sit."

"I'm not a dog." His look told me that he was in no mood for smart remarks. I apologized as I took the seat across from his desk. "So, how is your day going?" This earned me yet another angry glare. "You know that I don't make him do that, he just sort of does it on his own, right next to your car."

"Well you better not let him do it anymore." He looked at me and then glanced down at his boots. "I'm going to put on a different pair and then you are going to scrub these clean."

"What? I'm not some kid that you can just punish as you wish." I was on my feet and heading towards the door when he caught my wrist.

"I'm your boss. You have to do what I tell you, anything I tell you." I don't know if he had more of an idea to where this was headed, but I was thinking I would do anything in his bed. I pulled out of his grip and left his office, I felt him follow me to my desk where I quickly started browsing the internet to distract myself. I peeked over the computer screen and saw the elevator closing.

Ten minutes later I found myself scrubbing Ranger's boots with a toothbrush and a clothespin over my nose. He had brought down his boots and a handed me a toothbrush with a pleased look on his face. I couldn't help glower up at him as he walked away smugly. Ella had appeared with a wash bucket filled with soapy water and some rags to dry the boots off with. I grabbed the clean boot first and threw it in the bucket, not caring if it got ruined.

I had begun on the second boot by the time the laughs from the men had subsided. They kept walking by me and would steal glances at me scrubbing away. I think they did it purely for their own pleasure, because I noticed the grins that appeared on their faces. I was nearly done with the second boot when Ranger walked past on his way back into his office. He didn't look at me, but he had apparently felt pleased with himself because he looked very smug as I glared up at him.

When I had finished and gotten the entire collection of dog poop out of the bottom of the boots I threw them onto the floor in the center of the aisle on the other side of my little cubby. Lester walked over and leaned against the wall and smiled down at me. "You got your clothes all dirty you know, and we haven't seen you naked in a long time."

"You are all pigs. I hate you all, especially Ranger." I ground my teeth together as I looked over my soaking wet shirt and pants. "Great, here comes the big pig right now." Lester glanced over as Ranger came and stared a moment at his boots in the aisle.

"Where's your black? I brought the shirts to your apartment." Lester just shook his head as he stood listening, waiting for what was going to happen next.

"I don't like how they fit, plus they are itchy." I leaned back in the office chair, meeting his hard eyes, throwing my hands behind my head and leaning into them. "Plus, who says I'm not wearing black? You just can't see it."

Ranger's eyes turned a creamy chocolate as he looked me over, eyes resting where my bra and underwear lay hidden. His gaze came back to meet mine and I just gave him a sly smile. I glanced over at Lester who was choking on laughs; he just turned and walked away. Ranger took a step closer and leaned over my desk, his face inches from mine.

"You better watch what you say around here or I might just have to make sure that you are wearing black." He stood back up and I swallowed hard. A lump had formed in my throat, and I was feeling heat in my dirty parts. He looked down at his boots and then back to me. "Bring those upstairs when you take a shower next time."

With a heavy sigh I turned back to the computer. When I couldn't get my mind off of dirty thoughts of Ranger checking the color of my underwear I stood up and went over where a few of the men were watching the monitors. They had the cameras set on the garage at the moment and I questioned what all they could see. After being told that they had cameras every where in the building and outside except Ranger's apartment, the locker room, bathrooms, and apartments I pretty much wet my pants.

I realized that the men had probably all been upstairs the nights I had actually attempted to work out when I first arrived, and that they had all been able to see me naked after Lester stole my clothes. Then thinking about the cameras outside I asked them to switch it to an outside camera. Just my luck, the first camera they switched it over to showed the exact same area that I had changed on the sidewalk the second morning in town. I sighed and turned away as they snickered to each other. I decided a hot shower would be nice right now.

I picked up Ranger's boots and went to the elevator where I got out the little key thing he had given me and pushed it to allow me up to the seventh floor. I tossed his boots on to the floor and walked to the bathroom. I got water wonderfully hot before stepping inside. I grabbed the body wash that I had discovered a few days ago and lathered myself up with it. I was in complete heaven, Ranger heaven that was. I could only imagine him smelling like this, because after how close he was this morning I would have noticed if he actually used this stuff.

I wrapped a towel around me tightly and then looked down at my clothes. I didn't really want to put them on with the dog poopy soap water on them. I decided I would just have to snag some more of Ranger's clothes. If he wanted me to wear black, I would wear black. I opened his closet to find a couple black tee-shirts, a few pairs of his black pants, black socks, and a black sweatshirt. I grabbed a tee-shirt and pulled it on, it fit loosely and I considered putting on his pants to, but decided against it. I looked in the drawers of his dresser and didn't find any other clothes. All of his underwear and other sweatpants must have been in the wash, so I just wrapped the towel around my waist, grabbed my stuff and headed into the elevator.

"Ranger, I need to go to the office right now. If you don't take me to Vinnie's I will…" I shut up as I realized he wasn't in his office. I went and sat in the chair behind his desk and felt a surge of power as I crossed my arms. "You're fired." I said imitating Trump. I spun around a few times in the chair and paused when I heard the door open. I turned to see Tank looking at me bewildered. "I'm waiting for Ranger, he was going to get me some keys so that I could drive to the office to see Connie and Lula and do some filing. I don't know where he is though. He never says anything to me."

"He isn't going to be back for a while, he has to get some work done." Tank's voice was low and rough, and he continued to look at me puzzled. "Is that Ranger's shirt?"

"Sure is. Is there a way that you can get me the keys? Ranger didn't tell me which vehicle he was going to let me take, but it really doesn't matter to me." I stood up and Tank shook his head as he looked at the towel I still had wrapped around my waist. "I like the breeze." Tank looked like he was going to laugh, but he was really good at containing his happiness because he just shook his head once more.

"I'll get you the truck keys." I followed him out of the office and waited at his desk as he went to retrieve the keys for me. He came back and handed them to me with an amused look on his face. "Ranger said that if I give you these he will shoot me, but I think it will be worth you getting in trouble again." I reached out for the key and he pulled it back out of my reach. "I am just getting back to work though, and I can't take lying around doing nothing for a while as my wounds would heel just so I can let you have some fun."

I heaved out my chest and walked away, as I was walking I came up with a genius idea as of how I would be able to get out of the building. Bobby would fall for my plan, and if not him, Lester would for sure. I approached Bobby and ran my hand over his shoulder as he turned in his chair to look at me. I batted my eyelashes at him and he gave me a weary expression. I smiled at him seductively and he shook his head as he looked down at the plush white towel still wrapped around my legs.

"Could you do me a favor?" Bobby must have realized that I was wearing Ranger's shirt because he asked me if I was sleeping with him. "Nope, I haven't had sex for over three years, that isn't the point though." I quickly added as his mouth dropped. "I really need to get out of here and over to Vinnie's office. Ranger was supposed to take me but he isn't here, and Tank won't give me any keys."

"And I will get what?" I straddled Bobby's legs, it was incredibly difficult in the towel but I managed it somehow. He licked his bottom lip like a pervert, but I guess I wasn't acting really innocent at the moment either. "Meet me in the garage."

I stood up and walked to the elevator where I proceeded to the garage and waited patiently for Bobby. I realized that I really needed a pair of pants, and quickly ran up to my apartment where I grabbed a pair of grubby boxers and went back down to the garage. Bobby was waiting for me and smiled at me as he jingled some keys in his hand. I ran up to him and attempted to take them, but he pulled them away just as quickly at Tank had.

"Not until I get my end of the deal." Bobby was a complete horn dog and really needed to get a girlfriend.

"Fine, what do you want? I'll take off my shirt if you want, or give you a little kiss."

"Shirt, towel, and the kiss." I sighed and shook my head but he just jangled the keys in front of me and I knew that this was the only way I could possibly get out. I let the towel drop to the ground and quickly pulled Ranger's shirt over my head, I deeply regretted not putting on any undergarments after the shower. Bobby made a signal for me to turn around and I did so before he instructed me to come forward and kiss him then. I was absolutely disgusted with myself, and I wanted to kill Ranger for not showing up.

I knew all of the guys were watching right now and I decided while I was at it, I might as well give them a show. I pulled Bobby into me by the front of his shirt and aggressively kissed him on the mouth. I wrapped my arms around his neck and brought one leg up onto his hip. The kiss was deep and I imagined that I was with Ranger right now as I allowed his tongue to enter my mouth. I pushed away breathing heavily and grabbed the keys out of Bobby's hand as he smiled hungrily at me.

I pulled on the boxer shorts I had grabbed earlier and then pulled Ranger's tee-shirt back over my head before I hit the unlock button and Ranger's F-150 honked as it unlocked. I couldn't believe he had actually given me the keys to Ranger's truck, he was really going to get in trouble and I felt horrible. I smiled over at him one last time and told him he could give the towel to Ranger when he got back as I climbed up into the large truck. I backed up and hit the drove to the security gate which Bobby had gotten to open for me, before I sped off towards Vinnie's.

Somehow Lula had talked me into riding with her along on an apprehension; well actually she had talked me into driving Ranger's truck to pick up one of her skips. "Why couldn't you pick him up yourself?"

"His big ass wouldn't fit in my car even if I greased him up to squeeze in there." I looked over at her and she shot me a look that warned me not to say anything about her. "You just have to go out back and guard the alley just incase he makes a run for it. He wont though, he can barely walk."

"And what if he shoots me?"

"Shoot him back. Man, this truck really smells like Ranger. That body wash of his could make any girl fall in his bed."

"I don't have a gun, I haven't even ever touched one." I didn't mention anything about me using the shower gel, I didn't want Lula falling into my bed.Lula just shook her head at me, a look of pity growing on it. "Can't I just use a stick or something?"

"I'll give you my tazer; it's brand new and would knock a giraffe down." As we pulled up on a side street Lula handed me what I assumed to be the tazer before we climbed out of the truck. I slid the tazer under the seat before closing the door and locking the truck up. With my luck I would have tazered myself and then I really would have been no good to help Lula. I snuck around the back alley, and walked up to the back door or a red house and waited. I didn't hear Lula yet so I poked around and found a large stick. I was drawing on the hard compacted dirt that served as a lawn when the back door slammed open and a man stumbled out.

He looked over at me and began to run away. I realized that this had to be the guy Lula was after because he was huge and only in a pair of white underwear, and now I could see why Lula hadn't wanted to take her car. He was trying to run, but I could tell he was slowing down as I finally realized this was the part where I went after him. I ran after him screaming with my stick up in the air and I heard a few other back doors open up. I was right behind him now, he was still trying to run and I was almost right behind him. He abruptly stopped catching me off guard and I plowed into the back of him,

The wind got knocked out of my as I collided into him, it was like hitting a brick wall. I fell onto my back and lay on the ground for a minute before I caught something coming at me out of the corner of my eye. I saw a ratty little dog coming straight towards me. I looked up to see the man staring down at me with a smile as he glanced over at the dog and then back down at me.

"Get her Tippy." The dog bit onto my shirt and began to tear it up; I screamed for help and saw Lula coming up behind the man from the other direction. I don't know what she did, but the man was soon on the ground in a limp pile. Lula then took out her pepper spray and told me to close my eyes. I tried to hit the dog away even though I couldn't see it, but I heard it give a little cry and opened my eyes to see a can of pepper spray in Lula's hands.

"You get the dog quick while it can't see."

"What? Why me? It almost ripped me to pieces." I looked down at the shirt that I had taken from Ranger's closet and winced as I saw all the holes in it.

"Come on, it is just a Chihuahua, an ugly one though." I grabbed the dog and felt bad as it whimpered and tried to rub its eyes with its paws. "You should probably bring the truck back here so that we can load this pig in, we won't be able to carry him far, if we can even move him." I carried the dog to the truck with me; it seemed to have calmed down and just shook in my arms as I carried it back. I had never liked small little dogs and this one wasn't helping my opinion, it was hideous.

At the truck I set the dog in the backseat on the floor and drove slowly down the back alley. When I reached Lula a few old men were next to her looking down at the man we had caught. I got as close as I could with the truck and then got out and went over to her. "So what did you do to him?"

"Just stun gunned him; he will be back up in a little while. What did you do with the dog?" We both looked over to the truck to see the little dog crawling on the dash. Lula walked over and pulled it out, setting it in her larger purse. "This will work just like a doggy carrier, plus there won't be any poop in your boyfriend's truck."

"Shut up Lula. Let's just get this guy out of here." We loaded the man into the bed of the truck where I had found a place to handcuff him too. We wouldn't have been able to even move him if one of the old men hadn't gotten his two sons to help us. They looked like they worked for Ranger they had so many muscles. We thanked them and then I backed carefully out of the alley, and continued back to Vinnie's so that Lula could pick up her car before we went to the police station to drop the guy off.

I followed Lula since I didn't know the way. She told me to pull up to the back door and said she was going to wait in her car because she had a thing about cops. I told her I was going to be getting a good chunk of the money she made on this skip and walked back to the truck to hind two officers outside. They looked over and I asked if they could tell me what I was supposed to do next.

They unloaded the guy who had finally woken up. I followed them inside where they proceed to take the guy back, and I was told to wait for the body receipt. I sat and watched the guy fill out the receipt and his face was filled with amusement as he handed it to me. "I'm Dylan, I've never done this before."

"Yea, I've been waiting for you to come in since you started at Vinnie's. Word is you are another Steph. Carl by the way." I smiled and walked to the door I saw a sexy young officer stop next to him as I looked over my shoulder. "See you around, but next time bring them in with more than underwear on."

"I'm Ben." The other one called as I turned away with a smile. I could here Carl teasing him as I turned the door knob.

I pushed the door open and almost jumped as I saw Ranger leaning coolly against his truck. I looked at him with a nervous smile that he didn't return. As I got closer he just stared at me blankly at me through black sunglasses that reflected me in the lenses. His crossed arms really showed off his biceps and I wondered if he was going to completely throttle me. He was quiet for a moment when I first reached him, and I couldn't say anything because my brain seemed to have left.

I allowed my eyes to rove over his body, and I was no longer worried about what his arms could do. He had on his other boots, not the ones I had cleaned earlier that morning, and his black cargo pants, well I wanted to tear them off. His shirt was just as tight and flat against his washboard stomach. He wore sunglasses shielded me from being able to see where he was looking, and his hair shone in the sun darkly.

He reached out and pulled at the shirt I was wearing, I was soon flush against his body, and my hands pressed firm up on his chest muscles. I looked up at him, I could feel my eyes grow wide, and I swallowed hard as thoughts of what it would feel like to have his bare chest against me would feel like. One hand found its way up my shirt and rested lightly on the small of my back, it felt like a hot iron was touching me with as much heat as he was radiating. I couldn't figure out why he was doing this, he hadn't seemed to want to be around me for the past two weeks.

"You ruined my shirt."

"I'll get you a new one." I don't know how, but I got the words out of my mouth.

"You got Bobby in trouble."

"I already paid him for his trouble." I wasn't going to tell Ranger exactly what I did to repay him.

"You're in trouble." I sighed and looked up at him. He could tell he had me completely flustered. "How are you going to pay up this time?" I tensed in his arms and the corner of his lip twitched up for a brief second. He knew already, he had probably seen the tape some how. I tossed my head back and stared up at the sky, trying to come up with a way to weasel out of this.

"I'll clean your boots again." He shook his head and I tried to come up with something else. "I can't help it. It is your fault you know. You had to be the one to be stupid and lock me up in the prison of yours." I had pushed myself away and stared back at him with a scowl, I really wished that I could see his eyes at the moment. "Take those stupid sunglasses off."

He didn't move the sunglasses and I reached up to take them off myself but he caught my wrist in his hand. "Your husband is still in town, and I know he has people looking for you right now. I've been asking around." I think he noticed my body tense because he reached up and pulled off his sunglasses. "Unless you want him to find you, you might want to consider staying in that prison of mine."

"I hate you."

"I know, and you smell good. Now get in the truck and follow me back, no games." He pushed off the truck I watched him retreat to the street where he had his Porsche waiting. I followed him back to the building and parked in the space I had taken the truck from earlier that day. In the elevator Ranger made me hand over the keys, which I did so with a long sigh. I was going to turn to him and say something but decided against it and just rode silently to my floor. I left without a word, wondering what all the body language and jesting from him had meant at the police station.

**So I think I just made Dylan into a slutty charecter, but she really isn't, she just really needed to get out of there. I needed a little Ranger action. Let me know your thoughts on what to with it. Have a great day/night all who read this.  
**


	10. Chapter 10

**Dislaimer: Ranger and pretty much everything else is not mine. **

I hadn't heard nor seen anything indicating that Tyler was still in town looking for me and Ranger was ignoring me so I didn't know what was going on. I was on my way to Ranger's office early in the morning, ready to negotiate with him. I was in a powerful mood and was sure not to lose. I was wearing the pair or sweatpants and the tee-shirt that I had stole from Ranger. It was the tee-shirt that someone had put me in the night I had got injured and Ranger had brought me back to his apartment. I scratched at my head as I rode the elevator up.

I knocked lightly and didn't get a response and took it as permission to enter. When I opened the door Ranger didn't acknowledge me, he just kept reading the file he was working on. I leaned against his desk and started humming, he finally looked up at me with an annoyed look and asked me what I wanted.

"I was thinking last night while I was lying in bed," the mention of me lying in bed made his eyes look distant for a moment, but then he snapped back and looked impatient once more. "Well I figured that since you want me to wear black so bad, you can take me shopping today. That way I can buy some clothes that actually fit me and I won't have to wear these." I shrugged in his clothes and waited for his reaction.

"No."

"Ranger," I growled low in my throat, I wasn't in the mood for his need to always be in control. "Either you take me or let me go by myself."

"No, now get to work."

"It isn't even seven yet, I don't have to work for two more hours. Plus, I think it might be nice if you would quit being a jerk and maybe actually acknowledge me when I am working." He looked back up at me, a questioning look upon his face. "That whole little stunt at the police station the other day wasn't that funny. Just because you have this power doesn't mean you can go and throw it in my face."

He stood up and crossed the distance that had been between us, I could smell the Bulgari shower gel and I knew that it wasn't me today. I closed my eyes and breathed it in deeply, dirty thoughts beginning to cloud my head. "You need to learn to take direction better before I acknowledge you. I will have someone take you this afternoon." Then he walked to his door and opened it, dismissing me without any other words.

The rest of the day was spent impatiently waiting to be taken shopping. I was going to spend my last paycheck on some new clothes. Tank came over to my side as I finished the last search I had in my inbox and informed me he would be taking me shopping. I must have given him a questioning look because he just said Ranger didn't want him to let me out of his sight and he knew that Tank wouldn't let me get away with stuff even if I got naked for him. Plus I had to think that it may have also been to have some muscle around in case Tyler happened to show up.

As I walked next to Tank I could see the glances people gave us as they walked by and I strung my arm through Tank's. He just looked down at me and I couldn't help think how weird we must look together. I spotted Victoria's secret and asked Tank if he would go in. He just shrugged, stating he didn't have a choice. I had a thing with underwear, and I hadn't been able to get any new pairs that were decent for quite a while. As we entered the saleswomen looked as us and then quickly bustled away to find something else to do. I could see them all watching Tank with hungry eyes as I shopped around.

Leaving the store I had four bags, one had three bras in it, one held two pairs of dirty pajamas, and the other two were filled with underwear. Before I had chosen anything for sure I held it up asking Tank, thinking he might grow embarrassed, but he just threw out comments like "wouldn't be bad to see on the cameras" or "Lester would like it". It wasn't the reactions I was hoping for, but they did make me feel pretty sexy. Tank had offered to carry the bags but I had told him it wasn't necessary, not until I got more anyways.

As we walked he said that he had to take Stephanie to Macy's one time and then he agreed to take me there as well. We walked women's section and I glanced around for black. I found a pair of black slacks, a short black dress that Tank's eyes grow wide when I showed him, and a black pants suit. I was hoping to find more pants, but it didn't seem that there were any in stock. I decided to just purchase those three items, but then I saw the shoe department on the way out the door.

Tank sighed as he sat down in a chair and ran a hand over the top of his buzz. He apparently knew how it went with shoe shopping. I found a pair of black boots that reminded me of the ones that the men wore; I was pleased to add them to my collection when I found them in my size. I was browsing around for another pair of sandals when I found a pair of black stiletto sling backs. I pulled them onto my feet and attempted to walk around in them, a little shaky at first, but then I started strutting in front of Tank. I didn't think I was ever going to wear them, but I had always kept a pair of slut shoes in my closet back home incase an opportunity to wear them ever came up.

"Okay Tank, I think we should find a Target." He just stood with a shrug, picked up a few of my bags and we began walking out of the store. As we reached the door I saw a slightly familiar face nearing us. He was looking at me with a look of vague remembrance as well. I stopped and stared for a moment as he got closer and then smiled, it was Ben from the police station. I said a simple hello and he stopped and began to talk to me, looking at Tank wearily, I knew that he was probably wondering if Tank was going to beat him for talking to me.

"So, have you been out anywhere in town?"

"No, this is my first time actually doing something besides work really." I smiled; I had a feeling this was going to go somewhere good.

"Well would you like to have dinner tonight?" I couldn't help but giggle girlishly. I hadn't been asked out since I got married, and I knew I should feel guilty, but I said yes. "Do you want me to pick you up somewhere?"

I glanced over at Tank who raised his eyebrows but didn't say anything. "Do you know where Vincent Plum Bond Agency is?" With a small nod from him we decided to meet there at eight. I waved over my shoulder and punched Tank in the arm triumphantly.

"Ranger going to chaperone you two?" I just made a face at him as we walked to the SUV and loaded everything into the back. The ride back to the office was spent with me talking a mile a minute about a plan to escape.

"I will ask Ranger to let you bring me to Vinnie's, and then you can drop me off and Ben can bring me back home later."

"No."

"Please Tank? We could be best buddies that disobey Ranger."

"No." With his final answer given as we pulled into the garage I grew silent. I didn't want any of the other men to know about the Ben thing. I had forced Tank to agree not to tell Ranger about it as he dropped some of the bags off in my apartment. I paced around briefly as I considered how I was going to do this. I decided I would go to Ranger right now and ask him to drive me to Vinnie's. I shakily made my way up to his office and when I found it empty I picked up the phone and dialed his cell phone.

"Yo."

"I need a ride to Vinnie's later tonight. I forgot I have some stuff that I need to talk with Connie and Lula about." I didn't get anything on his end and continued. "I didn't want to go in with Tank today because I didn't want him to know, it is sort of concerning something I am considering having done, umm a procedure. I really want to talk it over with some other women before I do it. I already called them and they said to meet them there are eight tonight so Vinnie wouldn't be there."

"I'll be there, just don't try and drive off if I'm late." With that he disconnected and I smiled triumphantly to myself as I leaned back into his plush leather office chair. I leaned back and then curiosity struck me, what did Ranger keep in his desk. I bent over to pull open the bottom drawer and found it locked. I tried the other drawers and found the same thing. I kicked out and was even angrier when I smashed my toe. I decided I should probably go down to my apartment and figure out what I was going to do for the night.

In the apartment Titus was pacing around and so I decided I would let him go have some fun. I brought him to the fourth floor and let him out into the gym. The men just looked at me and shook their heads, they hated when I did this. I had recently got into the habit of letting him off to go bug the guys. He run around barking and jumping as the men worked out. One day I had come in to see him attempting to get in on the action while two guys were sparring. I just waved and let the doors close and bring me back up to my apartment. Tank and I had taken more time shopping then I had realized and it was almost six.

I went into my room and dumped out my bags on my bed. I picked out a red lace thong and the matching bra, along with picking up the new dress I had gotten at Macy's. I decided that I had probably better shower if I wanted to look halfway decent and grabbed my new clothes before heading up to Ranger's apartment. I scrubbed up quickly and couldn't help but use Ranger's shower gel. I noticed that more of it was gone from when I had last used it and smiled to myself. I stepped out and wrapped a tower around me quickly and began to squeeze the water from my hair.

I scrounged up a brush from the vanity cabinet drawers and ran it through my hair. I looked under the sink and found a hairdryer, some gel, and a large curling iron. I took them out and looked them over. I didn't know who they belonged to, but Ranger apparently had a friend who had been staying the nights with him. I felt like an idiot as I thought about this and squeezed some gel into my hands. I flipped my head over and ran the gel through it before drying it with the hairdryer. When I flipped my head back up, I had hair a mile high. It definitely wasn't the look I was going for, to much body, even for Trenton.

I pulled on my underwear and bra as I glanced at the clock. I had to be at Vinnie's in twenty minutes. I rummaged around under Ranger's sink again and found some old makeup. I felt stupid, but I was going to use some of it. I pulled out the mascara and brushed it over my lashes before I found a light lip gloss and applied that. I remembered that I had forgot any jewelry and wrapped the towel back around me before ran to the elevator. In my apartment I grabbed a small box and went as fast as I could back up to Ranger's apartment.

I dropped the towel and sorted through the jewelry on the counter. I decided upon a simple pair of studs that were such a dark stone they appeared almost black. I had them in my ears and looked back at my hair, still huge. I tried brushing it down, but it wasn't going down. I took a last look at it and gave up. I wasn't going to pull it up after all of the trouble of drying it. I pulled on my dress and managed to get it zipped by myself. I began to pick up my mess and had just picked up my clothes when Ranger appeared in the doorway.

He raised his eyebrows as he looked me over and leaned against the doorframe. Knew I was late already and just ran past him. He followed me to the elevator without any comments. As he hit the garage button I realized I didn't have my shoes. I quickly made a stop back at my apartment and grabbed the new slut pumps I bought and then glanced at myself once in the mirror. I had to admit that I thought I looked pretty hot. The dress made my small chest look a size larger somehow, but then I realized it was probably the bra I was wearing. The bodice was tight and showed my curves.

I basically had to drag Ranger to the car because he seemed to be trying to walk slow. Inside I slid on my shoes and inspected how they looked on me. As we were nearing Vinnie's Ranger looked me over and I knew he could tell I was up to something.

"Does Lula or Connie drive a gray Nissan Titan?"

"No." I looked away from Ranger as he just shook his head and I saw a gray pickup parked outside the office. Ben was standing outside waiting, glancing at his watch. "He's a cop, I'll be fine."

"You'll be fine back at your apartment too." Ranger was driving slowly by, probably to rub it in my face that he wasn't going to let me go out with Ben tonight.

"Listen Ranger, I haven't had sex for over three years and I am quite desperate at this moment so I am going to go out with him tonight whether you want me to or not." I grabbed the door handle and Ranger hit the brakes as I pushed the door open. I quickly jumped out of the car and ran at Ben, telling him to get into his truck. I got into the truck next to him as Ranger got out shaking his head angrily at me. I could tell that I was actually going to be in trouble when I returned. He walked over and shut my door before sliding back in and driving away.

I told Ben, after many questions about Ranger endangering his life, that Ranger and I had known each other forever and he was like a big brother to me. I felt bad lying to him right off the bat, but he didn't need to know the real situation. We drove to a small restaurant where Ben walked me in, holding the doors and complimenting on how good I looked. Mentally I hit myself when I thought about how Ranger hadn't even noticed my outfit.

As we sat waiting for our food to arrive I excused myself to the bathroom to check and make sure I was still all in order. I looked at my hair, it was still huge, but seemed to be deflating slightly. I smacked my lips in the mirror and adjusted the plunging v-neckline of the dress so that none of my bra was visible. As I turned and walked out of the bathroom I tumbled into a man who had just come out of the men's restroom. He smiled down at me as I felt him cop a feel as I pushed off of him.

"Excuse me, keep your filthy hands to yourself." I attempted to push past him but he grabbed my upper arm and pulled me into him.

"I can get some money if I bring you to him, I know who you are. Your husband has been running around the city asking everyone about you." The man smelled of alcohol and I blanched as his breath reached my nose. He began to drag me towards the door and I was going to yell for Ben but the man just tightened his grip on my arm making me wince at the pain. As we got out into the parking lot he walked me to an old car that had duct tape holding the bumper up. I didn't know what to do, but I knew I wasn't going to be getting in that car so he could take me back to Tyler.

The man held onto me with his left hand and began to unlock his car with his right. He wasn't holding me as tight and I feigned a trip and pushed into him, freeing my arm. I grabbed the key from the unlocked door and jumped inside the car, locking the door firmly behind me. The man banged furiously against the windows as I attempted to get the key into the ignition. The man took a gun from his waistband and aimed at the window. I ducked down low as the glass shattered. I crawled across the seat began to unlock the other door as the man opened the driver's door.

I didn't get out of the car in time and he threw me roughly against the back of the seat. I sat breathing hard as he backed out of the parking lot. I didn't know what to do because he still had the gun in one hand. Ranger was right, I should have stayed hidden. As the man turned down a back alley he finally slowed down and I quickly threw open the door. It took me all but a second to decide to jump and roll rather than to end up back with Tyler.

I hit the hard ground and groaned as I rolled through a puddle and into a wall of a building, I knew he had fired a shot off over my head when I jumped out of the car. I climbed to my feet and saw the car turning around. I took off at what was a run in the shoes I had on, and stopped as I let a car cross the intersection, taking my shoes off as I waited impatiently. I looked back to see the man nearing me in the car and ran as fast as I could. He didn't even look as he followed behind me across the intersection, and I grimaced as I watched a large semi t-bone him. I ran across the parking lot and towards a grocery store, which I entered and found a payphone. I searched but realized that I didn't have my walled with me because I hadn't had a place to hide it in my dress.

I sighed and walked around trying to figure out what to do. I saw a familiar truck drive by and ran outside to see if Ben saw me. I waved at him, but he didn't turn around. I heard the sirens and knew the police were on their way to the accident. Once a few men got there I would walk over and see if they could contact Ranger. I watched across the parking lot as the truck driver went to the car and grimaced at what he saw. I knew that there was no way the man could be alive after that hit. I sat down on the curb and felt tears building in the back of my eyes as a familiar car pulled up in front of me.

Ranger was out and by my side in a second. He helped me up and looked at my ruined dress and disheveled hair. Opening the door he let me inside the comfort of his car where I sank into the seat, trying to disappear. Ranger didn't say anything the whole way to the building, but when he parked the car he made me turn and look at him.

"It is serious, I don't know why but your husband wants you back so bad, you're annoying as hell." I sniffled and let a tear run down my cheek which Ranger wipe away with his thumb. I knew he had meant that as a joke, but I knew it was more true than anything. I hadn't been listening to him and I had put myself in the situation tonight. "You either stay in the building or have me or one of the guys with you. No more arguing.

I nodded in agreement before slipping out of the car. In the elevator I couldn't help but lean into Ranger. He wrapped an arm around me instinctually and when the doors opened to my floor I could barely tear myself away from his embrace. I glanced back and his look seemed like he was considering doing something, but as the doors slid closed I realized it was nothing. Walking into my apartment I stripped myself of my clothes and pulled on the shirt I still had from Ranger before crawling into bed. I realized that one of the guys must have had Titus because he wasn't in the apartment.

**I will wtell you now that this is probably my least favorite chapter so far.****S o you can now see why I don't like it. I really want to re-write it but I am not to sure how I will do it. I really had a writer's block and that was all I could come up with. I hope it will leave me soon (the writer's block) Well I guess you can send in the complaints now, joking, but let me know what you think. I think I am going to do a Ranger point of view reasonably soon.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: Beside Dylan, Titus, and Ben, everyone and everything belongs to Janet Evanovich. **

**Sorry it took so long to update, I actually had this written out a couple days ago, I just have had no time to post it. Enjoy, it is Ranger's point of view. **

I hadn't seen or heard anything from Dylan for two days. She was obviously holed up in her apartment, hiding away. I walked by her desk on the control floor, and saw a large pile of files that had gotten to large and tipped over, on my way to my office. She needed to get back to work now. Jess had kept Titus for the first day and was now curious to whether that dog had been able to go the bathroom anywhere. I got off the phone and walked out of my office, on my way to take care of business.

I opened up the door to her apartment to find it deathly quiet. I slipped in silently and walked to the bedroom. I could make out her form under the blankets and considered how I was going to wake her. I decided upon the easiest route besides throwing water on her. I grabbed the end of the blankets and pulled them effortlessly off of her and let them drop to the floor at the end of the bed as I placed my hands on my hips.

Dylan sat straight up and looked at me with wide eyes. When she realized it was me she laid back down and curled up into a little ball. I couldn't help but smile to myself as I saw her little underwear sticking out from under my shirt. There were pink dogs on them and small rainbows. They were incredibly girly and I couldn't help but think of the eight year age difference between us. I still couldn't help but thinking of waking up to her in my shirt.

"Get up, you look horrible." All I could hear was some grumbling as I went to open up the blinds. I stepped across her floor, feeling pieces of clothes beneath my boots. When I had opened the blinds I looked down to see a variety of underwear and bras scattered under my feet. Some of them were rather sexy and I looked over at her, wondering which ones she had worn on her date with Ben.

"Go away Ranger."

"You have work to do."

"Just send me to Somalia, I'm not getting up." She rolled over onto her back and stretched on the bed. He long legs led down to cute feet with perfectly manicured toenails in a light pink polish. I allowed my eyes to travel slowly up the length of her body and took a breath, taking it all in.

"I'm going to Vinnie's later today. You might as well come with and get out of here for a little while." She still wasn't moving and I grabbed her hand and pulled her upright. The glare I received could have cut through a brick wall. "Go shower and meet me in my office when you are ready to go." I stepped over the underwear, and as I was about to walk out of the bedroom she laid back down on her stomach and buried her head into the pillows.

I stood watching her for a minute; there was a light rise and fall to her body as she breathed. I didn't know what else to do so I grabbed some clothes off of the floor, a piece of green lace what was aparently underwear and a red bra included. I tucked the clothes into the back of my pants and then picked her up off the bed and threw her over my shoulder. She kicked around a little but soon quit and just gave a sigh of defeat when I didn't let her go. Although when she started taking deep breaths in through her nose I realized that it may not have been a sigh of defeat. I could have been a sigh of pleasure because she now smelled me and I mentally thanked Ella for the Bulgari.

Marching out of the apartment with Titus by my side I couldn't help but wonder what the men were going to be saying now. This girl was making me look just as bad as my Babe had. In the elevator I remembered Jess wondering about Titus and hit the fifth floor button along with my key fob to allow me entrance to my apartment. Titus ran out onto the control room floor and the men glanced at me in the elevator as the door closed. Someone would take care of the dog.

"I hope he craps in your office."

"That is really grown up of you." I shifted her on my shoulder to jostle her around a little for being a smartass. She just dug her elbow into me and I couldn't help shake her around a little more.

"I want you to know you're an ass, I don't usually call people rude names like that, but with you it is just so obvious."

"Quit looking at it then." I could feel her grow angry with my reply, she was angry that I had come up with the line so quickly, and that she had no smart reply. "Yours isn't that bad by the way."

As I arrived at my apartment I walked her into the bathroom, still over my shoulder. I reached into the shower and turned on the water, I was tempted to throw her in the cold water, but switched it over to warm. I set her down onto her feet and she just crossed her arms and looked at me. "I am pretty sure I can do the rest by myself."

I just turned and walked out into the kitchen where I grabbed a quick glass of water before walking back into the bathroom. The smell of my shower gel filled my senses and I knew that she was using it just like, well I need to let her go, she is with Morelli now. "Come down to my office when you are ready." I set her clothes next to the sink and heard the shower gel bottle fall to the floor. If it hadn't been so steamy I may have been able to see what she was going through the shower doors, but that was impossible.

I waited in my office for over an hour before going back upstairs to see what was taking so long. I walked into the bathroom on autopilot, ignoring everything else. I had other business I had to get done and I was actually going to take time out to bring her to the office but she was really trying my patience. When I walked into the bathroom she was sitting on the toilet in her underwear holding one of my towels to her left shin.

She looked up at me with a pale face, looking sick to her stomach. I didn't know what was wrong but she was getting sick, and if she opened her mouth she was probably going to throw up. I walked over and grabbed the black tee-shirt I had brought for her and pulled it over her head with out any words. As she tried to wiggle her arms into the sleeves the towel fell away from her leg. I was viewing a deep cut that was about three quarters of an inch wide and ran the whole length of her shin. The towel was stained red and the blood began to run down her leg.

"I cut myself." She simply said as she began to uneasily sway in her seat. I pushed her head down between her legs and told her to breathe deep and try to push up against my hand. She did as I told her too as I looked at her shin. It was down to the bone, and I couldn't figure out how she had achieved this. "I was shaving and all of a sudden it just…"

I wrapped the towel back around her leg as she kept her head between her knees. The shin on her right leg had goose bumps and I rubbed it with one hand as I applied pressure to her other leg. "Just hold this for a minute. I will be right back." I went down stairs to the control room and found one of the first aid kits and went back upstairs with it. She was still in the same position I had left her in when I got back upstairs.

I don't know how she did it, but it was probably the oddest injury I had ever had to clean up before. I kept pressure applied to it as best I could as I cleaned it little by little. Her breathing was deep and ragged and I could tell she was trying her best not to attack me. It had to sting horribly as the cleaning liquid hit it.

"We should probably bring you in to get stitches." I said as I cleaned another area. She shot straight up and looked at me with huge brown eyes.

"No, no it will be just fine. No need for any needles." She leaned over against the counter and closed her eyes. I looked up at her a few times as I finished cleaning and wrapping her leg. Her face was tight and showed her obvious discomfort. When I was done she opened her eyes and stared down at me. "I'm sorry."

"You're lucky you cut yourself. I was going to come up and yell at you for taking so long." This got a small smile out of her, but not the reaction I was hoping for. She stood up after I did and looked at me for what to do next. "I'll go get you some shorts. Your pants will just rub against that and make it worse. Just wait here."

As I dug around her apartment for a pair of shorts I came across the dress the she had worn a few days ago. It had some rips and tears in it and was still damp from something. I tucked it partway into one of my pockets and continued to look around. I picked up the underwear that was obviously still new, with the tags attached, and put it in the top drawer of the dresser. She had a huge pile of laundry that needed to be done. I dug through it and shook my head as I found a pair of red plaid boxers.

Back up in my apartment I walked to the bedroom on my way into my bathroom and noticed the lump underneath my blankets. I walked around my bed and saw Dylan fast asleep once more. I set the boxers on the nightstand on the side of the bed she was laying on and then decided to clean up the bathroom. When I got in there all of Dylan's clothes that I had brought up, except the green underwear were piled up neatly on the counter by the sink and the blood stained towel was folded on the toilet.

I glanced in the shower and saw a blue razor on the tiles at the bottom and I realized that it I had noticed it tucked in the corner a few days ago but thought nothing of it. I guess I had grown accustomed to Dylan being up here so often that I didn't even take notice of her stuff anymore. My bottle of Bulgaria stood opened and I noticed a large portion of it had been depleted since I had used it this morning after going to the gym.

I went back and checked on Dylan, lifted the blanket lightly to make sure that the bandaging was holding up and saw that she was wearing my shirt once more. She shifted and I looked over to meet her large brown eyes staring back at me. I set the blankets back over her and she began to sit up. She pulled the shorts up over her legs and stood up as she slid them over her hips. We stood looking at each other for a brief moment before she looked away and cleared her throat.

"If you need to sleep more go ahead. Otherwise when you are ready we will go to Vinnie's." She looked at me and nodded. Walking past me I could smell my body-wash on her strongly and thought it wise to follow her.

"I thinking getting out of here will be good, who knows what will happen next. We might end up naked, rolling around in your bed or something stupid." I didn't know what she was saying but I let it slide. I knew that she didn't think rolling around in my bed was stupid. I could tell by the way she reacted every time I touched her. We were soon in the elevator going to her apartment quick so she could get shoes. I waited in the elevator, wondering if she was going to curl up in her bed again and sleep away the next few days again.

She appeared in her signature sandals and a renewed smile on her face. She looked over at me as we went down to the garage. Her eyes seemed pleased with what she was taking in, and even though she didn't say anything I knew was thinking about what she had said earlier. Rolling around in my bed was definitely the only thing crossing through her mind right now.

When we got to the garage she surprised me when we neared the Cayenne. "Can I drive? I haven't gotten to drive anywhere for a long time."

"Not since you stole my truck." She looked sheepish as I brought this up and she just walked over to the passenger's door. I unlocked it and slid in behind the wheel. We pulled out of the garage, and I lost myself deep in thought. I was pulled out of my revere by Dylan turning on the radio. I looked over at her as she tried to figure out that system in the vehicle. She pushed buttons and I wondered how horrible she was going to bed screwing up all of the information for the vehicle. When she couldn't change the station from talk radio she hit the power off and sat back in her seat impatiently.

At the office she got out and limped a little on her leg. She shivered in her shorts and tee-shirt as the cold fall air hit her. "My leg is really stiff now and the skin is starting to feel tight." I explained as we walked in that it was just starting to scab over probably and that it would feel that way for a while. "It is actually really starting to hurt. I didn't even feel it happen and I haven't really felt any pain except a stinging sensation, but now it actually hurts."

"Just sit down when we get inside." I opened the door and ushered Dylan in with my hand set low on her back. When we entered the usual silence that normally greeted me was again present. I slid my hand off Dylan's back as I walked past, nodding a greeting to Connie and Lula as I went into Vinnie's office.

I talked briefly to Vinnie about a skip who decided that going out of state was the best way to escape me bringing him in. Currently the skip, Jackson Griggs was in Mexico taking a vacation. I let Vinnie know, that like usual he was going to have to get me the needed paper work so that I could go down bring Griggs back. I planned on going down in two days if everything went as scheduled. I would pick up two other skips in the mean time and have everything in order before I went out of town.

Upon exiting Vinnie's inner office I stepped out to hear Dylan reading something out loud. She looked over at me and raised her eyebrows, sparking my curiosity. I walked up beside her and read the small note she had in her hand. 'You'll be coming back home Pumpkin." Dylan must have known I had already read it because as soon as I finished the last work she crumpled it up in her fist and tossed it into the garbage can.

"I'll see you guys later." She smiled for show at them as she walked to the door. She stepped out a head of me walked slowly to the Cayenne. We both got in at the same time and before starting the engine I turned to look at her. She didn't look scared or worried at all any longer. "If he takes me back, he takes me back. I don't care anymore. I'm not going to live in fear forever."

"Just make sure that you have me or someone else always with you."

"No Ranger. I'm not going to have you protecting me constantly. I'm not your responsibility. I want to take care of this and settle it on my own." She was just as bullheaded and stubborn as someone else I knew and it drove me nuts. I knew that unless I took care of this fast she would find a way to make trouble once more.

"What do you plan on doing about it?" My voice was clipped and sounded more aggressive than I had intended but maybe she would just understand how serious this was. She wasn't someone who had grown up having to be tough. She had lived on a farm in North Dakota milking cows and driving tractor, not fighting for her life. She still hadn't told me many details but I had a feeling that the last four years of her marriage had turned very violent, and her husband was back in town looking for his punching bag.

"I plan on doing whatever I want. Now let's just get back okay? I think I need to go to bed or do something before I beat you up for being stupid." The words she said seemed to knock her back to something and her eyes looked distant. Apparently she had heard that line before because she just turned away from me and out the window. I turned the ignition over and drove back to the RangeMan building where I dropped her off in the garage before heading out to meet Tank at the Blue Light to pick up a skip.

**Well isn't she just a little stubborn. I have a feeling she will be getting her way too. I might write a quick oneshot soon with Steph and Ranger. Either that or I will just keep putting out this. Thanks for reading, review if can. Have a great day.  
**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I don't own and of the origanal Plum Series cast or objects. **

I pulled into the office and grabbed the cell phone off the passenger's seat that Ranger had given me that morning. I had gone to his office and told him I wasn't going to sit around anymore. He laid down a few rules after I informed his that I would be walking around naked to get the boys to let me out if he didn't. The idea of his men not working and deliberately disobeying him didn't make him that happy. He eventually gave in, two hours later, when I began to pull my shirt over my head before walking out of his office.

I was filing quickly, listening to Connie and Lula talk lazily. I was starving, I hadn't had any junk food for weeks and it was beginning to really wear me down. I dropped another pants size, but it would have been stress as well. I offered to go pick up doughnuts but Connie pulled some out of her desk. Titus had stayed back at RangeMan with a few of the guys, so that meant more for me. I felt bad he wasn't going to be getting any, but the men were probably feeding him turkey sandwiches or something else.

"I got another skinny ass white boy I have to go pick up today. You up for it?" Lula was looking directly at me, and I figured it might take my mind off of my other problems is I went along.

"Sure, your car, or the truck?"

"Batman letting you drive his rig around again huh? We'll take that, look badass an all." We finished licking our fingers clean before Lula grabbed her purse. That was when I noticed the little head sticking out of it. She had kept the little dog that had attacked me last time I went along. It gave a little yip as Lula took the dog out of the purse and set it on the floor. "You stay here with Connie, mommy will be back in a little while with a treat."

"Mommy?" Lula cut her eyes to me and I shut up. We made our way out to the truck and could hear the dog barking inside as we climbed in. "I could bring Titus over, he could eat it for lunch and you wouldn't have to listen to it bark like that."

"Shut up, let's just go get this guy." Lula rummaged around through her purse and looked over at me. "You still got my tazer?" I had completely forgotten about it after she had left me at the police station. I reached under the seat and found it still there. I was surprised one of the men hadn't found it and taken it for themselves, but they probably already had twelve of their own. "Use it when we get there. He is a punk ass who tried to stun gun me last time I went there. I figured you can go around front 'cause he will probably want to get your small ass into bed with him. His name is Willie, yea Willie. And he likes to show you his little Willie."

Lula lead me over near Stark street where I knew she used to be a former ho. I dropped her off on a side street and parked the truck in front of the disheveled brown house that matched his street number. Lula had given me a pair of handcuffs and I slipped them in my back pocket so I could easily remove them from my pants. I walked slowly up to the door and saw someone check out of the front window, one eye peeking between the sheets that were serving as curtains.

I knocked lightly and when no one answered I pounded a little harder with my fist. There was still no answer so I pulled the lost trick. "Look I know you're in there I can here your TV, I need directions, I am completely lost. I can pay you for your services."

The deadbolt clicked and then the doorknob twisted open and I was greeted with what I had to assume was Willie. He was in a pair of baggy pants that were only staying up because he was standing with his legs far apart. His white tee-shirt looked more yellow than anything, with what looked like pizza sauce down the front of it. He was going bald and really needed to shave. Homemade tattoos littered his left arm that was holding open the door.

"I got more services than just getting you on the right road Babe." When he smiled I noticed all of the missing teeth and it was all that I could do to no throw up on him.

"No thanks, I just need to get to Taco Bell." It was the first thing that came to mind and I knew by the look on his face he was questioning what I was actually doing there. "Thanks anyways."

"Willie can make you happy, look." I looked down and followed his eyes and nearly screamed as he began to whack himself off in front of me. "You can have some of this right now. Last chance before I close the door on you."

"Listen, I'm here to pick you up and bring you to the police. You missed your court date and now that you just whipped that, that thing out I will have you charged with indecent exposure as well." I grabbed the cuffs and slapped one on to his left wrist and was going to get his other hand but it was still tucking his stuff back into his pants.

"You bitch." He yanked away and turned to run, me coming in right after him. I grabbed out at his pants and with a little tug they were down around his ankles. He fell over and I was left looking at the whitest, most disgusting butt I had ever seen. He started crawling away and before I knew it a piece of pizza hit me square in the chest, so much for a clean shirt. The one day I succeeded on not spilling my breakfast down my chest I get nailed with pizza by a nasty gangster wannnabe. I scrambled after him yelling for Lula to come in and help as I grabbed his ankle.

He pulled me down with a hard yank on his leg and I found myself staring at little Willie. I tried to scramble back but he had already grabbed the back of my head and was attempting to get in my mouth. I felt my hand connect with his stomach instinctually as Lula banged in the backdoor. She looked down at us with a sick look on her face as I shouted for her to cuff him. She got his hands some how as I sat up and looked at myself. The spot on my sweatshirt was the perfect shape of the piece of pizza that had hit me. My pants had accumulated some stuff that I didn't even want to know about from rolling on the floor.

"Did he spit in your hair?"

"No, he didn't spit at…" I realized the only thing that had spit was Little Willie. I closed my eyes as I stood up, taking deep calming breaths as I thought about what was now in my hair. "Pull his pants up, I am going to go find a hose." I went out the back and could hear Lula and Willie arguing inside as I looked for a hose. I didn't' find one so I walked around to the front to find Lula standing with him next to the truck.

"He riding in back?"

"Unless he is going to walk." I was mad, I couldn't believe what had gotten in my hair, and I couldn't even look at Willie because I knew he was proud of himself. I didn't know how Lula could do this as a living. It sucked. It was the worst job I had ever heard of. I would rather be in a sewer with rats, well not actually but I never wanted to see Willie again. Lula managed to cuff him in the back just as we had done with the first skip I had helped her with.

"You're bringing him in. I don't want to even have to look at him again. He might not have anything left to his name if I have to bring him in." I didn't even look over at Lula as I navigated the truck through the streets. At the second red light her light laughter was becoming very annoying. I looked over at her and I could tell I looked like an angered bull; I probably had steam coming out of my ears and nose at that moment. She had been trying to hold in her laughs but it wasn't helping at all. "Quit laughing!"

"It isn't my fault you let him do that to you." She finally released her laughs and I turned back to the stop light which wasn't changing for us. I was fed up so I decided to just drive through it, no one was around. I had made it about a block down the road when I heard the siren and saw the lights in my rearview mirror. I pulled over and banged my forehead against the steering wheel. This was going to end up being the worst day of my life.

I rolled down my window without looking up as I heard the knock on my window. Whoever was outside of my window was waiting for me to look up so I turned and saw Ben staring in at me. I threw my head back against my seat, this was just what I needed, the sexy new cop to see me with, with nastiness in my hair. I closed my eyes as Lula began to laugh once more as she watched the scene unfold.

"Hi Ben. I think that light is broken." He was staring at my hair. I couldn't help but wish he was staring at the pizza on my chest instead. "You don't want to know what it is."

"Uhmm…" I knew he had no clue what to do right now. He wasn't looking at my hair any longer though. He now had a concerned face plastered on his features. "About when we went out…"

"Yea, things happen. Maybe we can do it again some other time."

"Maybe when you're not with Ranger?" It was more of a statement then a question it seemed.

"I'm not with Ranger, I just work for him." Ben shook his head rubbed at his eyebrows. He was a nice Italian boy with deep blue eyes that reminded me of thunderstorms. His brown hair was shaggy and the coat he was wearing made him look tough and ready to catch some criminals.

"You know the guy in the back of your truck is turning blue right?"

"Well I'm not putting him in here. Do you see what is in my hair because of him?" It dawned on Ben what it was and his face squished in disgust.

"He deserves to freeze." Lula threw in and Ben's eyes widened as he took in Lula and her flamboyant jacket that matched her pink hair.

"I'll put him in my car, and you follow me to the station." He was letting me go with no ticket and no warning, I couldn't help but thank my lucky stars. I watched in the rearview mirror as Willie was marched back and shoved into the back of Ben's cop car. We were soon trailing the car and I couldn't help but think of how bad it looked, the bumper was missing and it had obviously been in the receiving end of a few hits.

"Drop me off at the office will you?"

"No, you're going in if you want to get the receipt."

"But officer Hottstuff wants you. Even with the junk in your hair he was thinking about you in his bed." I just shook my head and kept driving until we reached the police station. We waited in the truck for a while as we watched Ben haul Willie inside. I was about to shove Lula out of the truck when he came back out with the body receipt.

"All of the guys know about your hair, Willie is inside bragging. I thought if they didn't see it, they might not believe it, but I am pretty sure they do." I banged my head against the steering wheel a couple more times before taking the receipt from Ben. "I guess I will see you around then." I felt like a teenager again with how awkward it was with him.

"Yea, but I'm not with Ranger." I rolled up the window and I could feel Lula smiling just as big as I was. I didn't say anything to Lula until we reached the office and had gotten inside. I still that the receipt in my hand and I brought it over to Connie.

"What the hell is in your hair?"

"Forty percent of Lula's check." I glanced over and Lula's mouth fell to the floor. She had picked up her little dog and glared at me a moment before she sat on the couch.

"Works for me." Connie kept glancing up at me as she wrote out the two checks. She looked like she was ready to gag every time she looked at my hair. "Here, and the one on the bottom is your last paycheck."

"Hmm, more money. Wonderful." I sat on the corner of Connie's desk and thought about what I was going to do with my money. I wasn't currently paying rent, and I never went out. Shopping sounded great. "I think I might go to the mall. Buy some new clothes, shoes, underwear. The works."

"I'm coming with if you do go. You need someone to help pick out your clothes anyway." Lula looked me over and shook her head. I thought I had dressed well this morning. I had put on a pair of jeans, tennis shoes, and a large sweatshirt over my tee-shirt.

"My clothes are just fine." Connie and Lula were already frozen and I looked over at the door to see Ranger stepping inside. He wore a black windbreaker over his normal painted on tee-shirt, the same black cargos he had everyday, and his boots. I stayed sitting on the edge of Connie's desk as I stared over at him. He was looking up in my hair at the moment. Couldn't anyone notice the stain on my breasts? I think it made them look a little bigger. He walked over in front of me and slid between my legs. I could barely keep myself from wrapping my legs around him and jumping him as I caught the smell of his body wash.

"Filly." He was about to bring his hand up to my hair, but paused and brought it back down to his side as he looked back down at me. "Is that?" He shook his head and turned down to my sweatshirt and jeans. The jeans were now pretty much brown, a few chunks of food stuck to them randomly along with my sweater. The pizza sauce had dried and Ranger picked a small piece of cheese off of it and threw it into the wastebasket.

"Good thing you let me go out huh?" He closed his eyes and looked like he was trying not to laugh at me. I really needed to know what my hair looked like now. I hadn't wanted to look in the mirror but I needed to know how bad I looked. It had to be bad if Ranger was trying to control his amusement.

"Go home and shower." He walked past me and into Vinnie's office. I just sat on the desk still, unable to move. As he had stood between my legs I had felt heat down in my below the belt area that I thought was going to light me on fire. I was happy that I now had a moment to catch my breath. I was breathing heavy and Lula and Connie were snickering back and forth until the door of Vinnie's office opened once more, Ranger appeared with some papers in his hand. Ranger looked over at me and then nodded towards the door, my tip-off to leave. I walked to the door in front of him and made my way to the truck, seeing the little Porsche Turbo parked right next to it.

"You're driving my truck while wearing those clothes?" I didn't know if he really didn't want me to or if he was just testing me.

"You're the one who gave me the keys this morning." He just walked up next to me and I curled my toes up in my shoes.

"You're leg is bleeding." I looked down at my left shin and saw that he was right. I must have torn it open while I was wrestling around with Willie. I leaned back against the truck and sight as I pulled the leg of my pants up. The white gauze that had been over was soaked through. "Take a shower and I will clean it up again. With hair like that I don't know what else you were in. I don't need you getting gangrene."

"Are you going back to RangeMan right now?" A slight nod of the head was my answer. "Do you want to trade cars?"

"Just don't let the boys see what's in your hair." He walked around to the Porsche and opened the door; apparently I wasn't going to be driving that anytime soon. He backed up and pulled out before I had even begun to pull my pants back down. I climbed up into the truck and followed the route I had learned to the garage. Ranger's car was already parked and he wasn't anywhere to be seen as I made my way to the elevator.

The doors opened just as I was going to hit the button and Lester, Bobby, and Ram all stepped out into the garage. Lester was the first one to burst into a fit of laughs, followed by Bobby, then a deep chuckle from Ram. I stepped into the elevator and hit the door close button before they could say anything to me. I hit the button on my key fob that would take me directly to Ranger's apartment where I could shower.

I left my shoes on the marble floor in the entry way and padded in my socks into the bathroom. Stripping down I winced as I took the tape off of my legs that held the gauze on. I threw it into the garbage can before stepping under the hot stream of water. I scrubbed my hair with shampoo three times before I even began to feel remotely clean. The shower gel was next, a large glob of it that soon filled the shower with the sexy aroma of Ranger.

When I stepped out of the shower my dirty clothes were gone from the floor and the wastebasket had been emptied of the bandages. I hadn't even heard anyone moving about in the bathroom, which may have been because I was talking to myself though. I wrapped the towel around me and took another one and dried my hair off with it. I stepped into Ranger's bedroom to see piles of clean clothes laid out on the bed. Jeans, tee-shirts, sweaters and sweatshirts, underwear, and socks all had separate piles. I realized that they were all of my clothes and stared at them blankly for a moment, questioning how they had gotten clean.

I quickly grabbed up some underwear, a bra, clean jeans, socks, and a gray knitted sweater. In the bathroom I hurriedly dressed in everything except my jeans. Ranger was supposed to be here to re-bandage me. Just as I was thinking this he walked into the bathroom and I sat down on the toilet and extended my leg out for him. It was healing slowly; it didn't really want to scab over because it had been covered constantly. Ranger said that I could wear shorts around for a while and leave it uncovered if I was careful not to get anything in it. I took that option and stood up and walked back to his bedroom where I grabbed a pair of boxers that were in my underwear pile.

"Did you do my laundry?"

"No. Ella did it because I was sick of seeing you in dirty clothes and now that your black stuff is clean you have no reason to not wear your RangeMan attire." He walked out of his bedroom and I pulled the shorts on. I walked out into his living room and checked the rest of the apartment. He had left without a sound, I didn't know how he did it, but it drove me nuts. He could walk in on me in the shower one day and I wouldn't even know it. I don't think I would mind, but I wouldn't know he was there until he climbed in all naked next to me.

I decided I should probably bring my clothes down to my apartment. I grabbed as many as I could at once and realized it was going to take me at least three trips up and down the elevator. Once I had succeeded in bringing everything down to my apartment I began putting my clothes into the dresser and noticed that there was some underwear in the top drawer. I had been wondering where they had gone and realized I must have put them away at some point and just hadn't remembered. Titus and I decided to go visit Tank if he was upstairs, and we headed out of the apartment and to the elevator.

**Mmmm Rangerness. I realized that I have Dylan in her underwear a lot around Ranger. If they ever actually finally hit the bed together he wont have much to take off of her. Review if you can, thanks.  
**


	13. Chapter 13

**DISCLAIMER: I only own the dog and Dylan. Nothing to which brag rights are entitled. **

Ranger had flown down to Mexico and made me agree not to leave the building until he got back. I had been enjoying my freedom the past few days before he had gone down. I had gotten to go on an apprehension with Lula, granted I got man juice in my hair, but I was actually doing something. I went up to Ranger's apartment after finishing up the pile of searches that had accumulated on my desk. It felt like a longer day than it really had been and since Ranger was going to back tomorrow morning I decided I was going to take a nice long shower up in his shower and possibly try on the robe that I had seen up there the other day.

I rode the elevator up and stopped in the entry way. I better bring Titus up, he hadn't wanted to come out of the apartment this morning, and was probably dying to walk around a little. I wouldn't let him in Ranger's bedroom though; he would be on the bed in seconds. Along with my dog I grabbed some clean underwear and some boxers and a book so that I could just go to bed once I was done with my shower and done reading.

Entering the apartment I held onto Titus and managed to close Ranger's bedroom door before he could slip in. I went to the bathroom and took my time getting into the shower. The water was steaming up the bathroom already and I could only imagine how good it was going to feel against my aching back. I peeled off my clothes and climbed in, the water warming me instantly. I opened the shower gel and was lost in dirty thoughts of Ranger. I stayed in the shower even after I was all pruney and wrinkled.

The bathroom was hot from all of the steam from the shower. The mirror was fogged to a white sheet and I drew on it lazily with my fingers, writing my name and drawing a couple little stick men on it. When I say stickmen I mean men, obvious stick men, I have a tendency of drawing a third leg on them. It was all because that body wash had me all turned on. I grabbed the robe as the bathroom started to cool down and walked into Ranger's bedroom.

Sitting on his bed I looked around and wondered if he liked how he lived. Everything was modern and expensive looking. The granite countertops of his kitchen and marble floors of the entryway proved that he had enough money, not to mention the cars that he drove. It was a big difference compared to how I had been living when I first pulled into town. I lay down on my back and stared at the white ceiling, the room growing darker as night crept closer.

I am not sure if it was the bed or I was just completely exhausted but I woke up to complete blackness in the room. It took me a moment to realize where I was, I was still in Ranger's bedroom. I shot upright and looked around remembering he wasn't coming back for while. I didn't really want to walk all the way down to my apartment right now, and there were no cameras up here to catch me sleeping in his bed. I would just make the bed up after I got up in the morning so it would look inconspicuous.

Crawling up under the blankets I took in the deep scent of Ranger all over. I scooted over to the other side that I assumed Ranger didn't sleep on. The bed just engulfed me and I wanted to spend every night in it forever. The blankets were soft against my skin and the pillows were heaven. I had lain on the bed once, but it hadn't been for long. Now I was finding it hard to think as I fell into deep comfort. I allowed my eyes to close and I drifted off to sleep easily, knowing I wasn't going to get caught.

The sun was shining across my eyes and I regretted not closing the blinds in my room last night. I felt Titus climb into bed next to me and pulled the blanket over my head so that I wouldn't be receiving any dog kisses. He must have been as tired as I still was because he wasn't bugging me like he normally did, and he was even staying on his side of the bed. _His side of the bed_. Titus and I couldn't fit together on my bed, and that was when I remembered where I was.

I don't know how he managed but Titus had snuck in somehow. I had to get him out so that there was no dog hair on the bed. That would completely send a warning signal to Ranger that I was sleeping in his bed if he found my dog's hair in his sheets. I flipped the blankets down to the end of the bed and sat up. I looked over at the large black mass next to me and gasped.

Ranger lay next to me on the bed, his back had been facing me, but now he rolled over onto his back and looked at me. He was still in his RangeMan attire, all of was still on except for his boots and utility belt. I felt my breathing become deep as I looked him over. He now had his hands behind his head and a small twitch at the corner of his mouth told me he thought this was amusing. His eyes were tired. It looked like he hadn't slept since he left. He must have skipped the sleeping and come straight home so he could sleep in his own bed.

Well he was definitely in his own bed, but he had Goldilocks right along side him. I knew he had to have noticed me when he had climbed between his sheets this morning. I swallowed hard as he closed his eyes for a moment before opening them once more. I noticed him eyeing the robe I was wearing and I looked down to see half of my chest nearly hanging out. I quickly pulled it closed and began climbing out of the bed.

Ranger grabbed my arm and pulled me back down right next to him. I was flush against his long, hard, muscled body. I felt my eyes widen and my breath catch. My whole body was on fire, and as he set his hand on my hip I felt my skin burn through the robe. I licked my lips and he gave me a small smile in return. Even though his eyes were tired, they had darkened and had a hungry look in them now.

"You keep steeling my clothes and I am going to be walking around naked like you normally do." I could do nothing except stare blankly at him. I hadn't been naked for a long time, well not in front of anyone anyways. My hands were splayed across his chest and I could feel his heart beating heavily under my right hand.

"You need to sleep. I will just go take it off and go." I wriggled out of his arms and crawled across the large bed to escape. I ran into the bathroom and locked the door behind me, leaning against it heavily as I tried to even out my breathing. I had just made a complete fool of myself in front of him. I had actually run out of Ranger's bed and away from him. It wasn't that I was afraid of him, okay, I was a little. But I had a horrible feeling that with how much I wanted him currently, if I took him up on any offers I might find myself unable to leave him. What if I turned into a creepy little stalker who couldn't control my urges and constantly needed to be near him or something?

I looked around in the bathroom and found my clothes, which I quickly pulled on, throwing Ranger's robe onto the hook I had taken it from. I braced myself for a moment as I unlocked the door. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I opened it to find Ranger leaning against the doorframe. My breathing grew heavy once again as I looked at his now bare chest and chiseled abs that led to extremely low black cargos. From the look of it, he wasn't wearing any underwear, and if he was it wasn't visible by any means.

I slipped past him and as I was walking out of his bedroom I heard the shower turn on. Oh how badly I wanted to run in there and join him but I kept walking. I saw Titus was eating something off of a plate on the floor and had to drag him out to the elevator with all of my might. I could barely breathe still as the doors closed. I knew Ranger was now naked, and if the top looked that nice I could only imagine what it looked like beneath his pants. I banged my head against the elevator a little until it opened up and I scurried to my desk where I thought work would probably be my best bet at getting my mind back to sanity.

A small knock on my desk drew me out of my dirty thought mode a few minutes later. The work wasn't getting done. I had re-read the same sentence what seemed like a million time and I still had no clue what it said. Tank was looking down at me with an amused smile. He must have been watching the monitors when I had run out of Ranger's apartment and into the elevator.

"Boss man came home early huh?" I just glared up at him and looked over to see Ram watching the monitors at the moment. "I tried calling but you didn't have your phone with you apparently."

"Now Tank, why would I take my phone with me to take a shower?"

"So I could tell you Ranger was coming home early." I just sneered at him and he laughed lightly as I walked away. I heard him say something about Goldilocks and knew another nickname was coming probably. I guess having the men laughing over me sleeping in Ranger's bed was better than getting teased over dirty stuff in my hair. Plus now I had something to tell Lula and Connie, not that I would, but if I needed bragging rights I had something now.

The past week had been quiet, I had been being good and doing my work, and even wearing black, granted it wasn't exactly the cargo pants and RangeMan shirts, but all black was a start. I decided I would just stay inside and work and obey the rules so that I wouldn't have to see Ranger. Every time I had seen him walk by or talk to any of the men the heat in my dirty places kicked in and my brain grew foggy with images of him shirtless. I knew that if I had to talk to him I would just make myself look stupid in front of him.

I had noticed that Ranger had been absent more recently and I was thankful to find out that working with some new clients. I was grabbing a couple turkey sandwiches for Titus and myself when my back started to burn. I knew he was standing behind me and it was all I could do to keep browsing over the sandwiches. I set the turkey ones down on a plate and started loading it with as much food as I could, trying to stall for time. When no more food could fit on the plate I turned around and stared into Ranger's deep brown chocolaty eyes.

"Nice sweats, your day off?" He slipped his index finger into the waistband of his old sweatpants as a hungry look filled his eyes.

"I don't wear anything on my days off." Oh my God, did I really just say that to Ranger? I was going to get myself in trouble pretty soon if I said something else like that.

"I'll keep that in mind when you take vacation." Another finger had slipped in next to the other one and pulled me forward. "I need you to work a distraction for me tonight."

"I thought I was already distracting you." Ooh this man was going to get me, his eyes turned dark as he thought about what I was saying. "Why don't you do some distracting for once?" Before I could even process what I had just said I felt his lips against mine. I felt like I was going to fall over as he ran his tongue along my lower lip. I could feel his lips curve into a smile against mine as I gasped when he ran his fingers inside the waistband of the sweats. He pulled away slowly and I looked up at him dazed.

"I'll pick you up at nine, wear the dress." He walked away, leaving me completely breathless. My mind was racing with thoughts of what else I now wanted him to do to me. I managed to walk on jelly legs back to my desk where I just stared at the plate full of food. Titus came trotting over and began eating right off of the plate. I stood up and walked to the elevator where I proceeded to my apartment. I needed to take a shower maybe that would clean my dirty thoughts and feelings away. As I was picking out clean clothes I realized that probably wasn't the best idea with Ranger's shower gel present.

I rummaged through my stuff and found an old bottle of peach stuff I had bought on sale for a dollar. It did smell good but it still was Bulgari. I grabbed that and headed upstairs. I still had four hours until I had to be ready, but I figured that I might as well try extra hard tonight to look good. I was going to get Ranger, or try. After the little stunt he pulled he deserved a little payback.

Upstairs I stared at the bottle Bulgari in the shower. It was haunting me. I finally opened it up and let the scent envelope me. I seemed to loose all sense of reality and I was looking at the showerhead in a new light. I tried to leave it alone, but I kept seeing Ranger and, well it was soon doing dirty thing and making me moan. I don't know how long I was in there, but I definitely planned on buying the same showerhead if I ever got my own place.

I crawled out breathless and stood leaning against the wall as I breathed heavily. With the towel wrapped tightly around me I rode the elevator one floor down to my apartment and looked around wondering where Titus was. I realized that I was becoming a horrible pet owner. I kept allowing him to go with the men, granted I was happy he was finally comfortable around guys.

I went to my bedroom to grab some clothes so that I could begin getting ready, and I saw a black dress lying on my bed. I picked it up to see that it was exactly like the one that had gotten ruined on the night I had went out with Ben. It was the same size as well. Ranger must have made Ella pick another one up for me. This is what he meant by 'wear the dress'. I shrugged on a tee-shirt and some boxers before making my way to the bathroom where I brushed out my hair and began getting ready.

I definitely wasn't looking as good as I had the night I had gone out with Ben, but I looked okay. My dress seemed a little tighter this time than it had before, but it made my invisible chest actually seem somewhat large. I found my shoes, the slut-pumps as I liked to call them, and wiped them off with a washcloth. Slipping my feet in I noticed that I should probably re-paint my toenails quickly. I used the same light pink that was just barely noticeable and touched up my toenails. Wiggling my toes I smiled down with satisfaction before leaning back on the couch where I closed my eyes, waiting for the polish to dry.

Titus's wet nose in my armpit woke me up a little later. I looked up and saw Ranger standing at the end of the couch looking at my attire and deeming it worthy of distraction. I sat up and looked down at my dry toes. I wiggled them a little more before slipping them into my heels and standing up. They added a good four inches to my height and I couldn't help but think how much easier these would make it to kiss Ranger, not that I ever would again though.

I walked to the door ahead of him and called Titus out. I was going to drop him off with the guys upstairs so they could take him out for a while tonight. I felt horrible about him being in side constantly, he was starting to get fat too from no exercise. He seemed to be happy though, adjusting to his life in the building. He seemed to want to be with the guys now more than he wanted to be with me.

Ranger must have known what I was doing with Titus because the elevator doors opened up onto the control room floor and Titus bounded out. I sighed like a parent whose only child was moving away. I don't know why but I suddenly felt very sad and thought I might cry as the doors slid shut. I sniffled a little and rubbed at my eyes where no tears were coming. I could see Ranger's chest moving lightly out of the corner of my eyes and I glared over at him. He seemed to be laughing at me, holding it inside but still laughing at me.

"Don't laugh! My dog doesn't even want to stay with me anymore." I could feel the tears now, one wet my cheek and I felt it make its wet trail. Ranger didn't seem to be taking me seriously so I backhanded him on the chest. It made a loud thump as I hit solid muscle. I was now thinking about how my dog left me and how now I wanted to touch Ranger's bare chest. I had a lump in my throat and really began to cry now. Maybe it was just everything that had built up over the years, but I was all out balling now.

"Look kid—" I looked over at him, the smile that was playing his lips just put me over the edge for some reason.

"Don't call me kid or Filly you old grandpa! Just shut up and leave me alone!" The tears were still running down my cheeks and I felt like and idiot. I crossed my arms and turned my back to him, my chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. I felt Ranger step closer and then his hands rubbed my upper arms comfortingly. "You don't get it, he is all I have and he doesn't even want to stay with me anymore." I turned on Ranger and looked up at him with anger, "And it is your entire fault too! You not letting me out since you left the other day. Always having to have someone with me."

"You have more then just your dog." I saw warmth in his eyes as he looked down at me.

"He isn't just a dog to me. I pushed at Ranger's chest, I think I was trying to punch him, but it definitely didn't work that way. I looked up at Ranger, he seemed different right now, and not the mercenary I was used to. I leaned into his chest unexpectedly and couldn't help the sigh that escaped me as I finally felt safe in his arms. "I'm scared Ranger, honestly."

The whisper was barely perceptible as I mumbled into Ranger's chest, but he apparently heard me because his arms wrapped around me and pulled me into him. There went my tough girl act right out the window, now I really wasn't going to be getting to go outside. I didn't know what he was doing but I felt one of his hands digging into his pants pocket as I calmed myself down in his embrace. The doors opened up onto Ranger's apartment and he led me inside and towards the couch. I sat reluctantly and looked up at him; he went to his kitchen and came back with a glass of water.

"Drink that, then go change into some pajamas and come up here and watch some cartoons or something. Just relax a little and you should feel better. I have to go get that skip, I'll be back later."

"I can do the distraction, it isn't a big deal."

"Just listen. I'll be back." I had stood up and he pushed me back down on the couch and handed me a remote. He leaned down and kissed the top of my head before turned and leaving me on the couch, completely shocked. I sat staring blankly at the remote in my hand. In the past four months that I had been coming up here I had never thought to watch television. The remote had so many buttons I had to wonder what else it controlled; it looked like it controlled NASA. I stood up and listened to Ranger's advice and went to his room to rummage for some clothes.

Finding a tee-shirt I slipped out of the dress and hung it in Ranger's closet. I didn't want it to get all wrinkly. I set my shoes under it in the closet and smiled. I couldn't help but think about it I actually was living with Ranger, what it would be like. We could both come home from a day of strenuous, sweaty work and get into the shower together. Just thinking about showering with him sent shivers all over my body. I looked over at the giant bed and couldn't help but remembering waking up with Ranger, that could be every morning if he had any of the same feelings as I did.

Out on the couch I tucked my legs up into the shirt that I had stole out of Ranger's closet and attempted to turn on the television. I actually managed to figure it out, well sort of. I didn't know how to adjust the volume so it was pretty quiet. I could feel my eyes growing heavy and knew that Ranger would wake me up when he got home if I fell asleep. Then I could go down to my apartment and crawl into my bed. Plus I would have to grab Titus tonight before I went down there, that wouldn't be a problem, just a quick stop before going to my apartment.

I tucked the throw pillow that matched the couch under my head and curled up into a small ball, keeping my legs tucked into the shirt to keep the warm. I should have grabbed a blanket out of the closet, but since I would be going back to my apartment when Ranger got back I didn't see the point. It wouldn't take very long. With that decision I closed my eyes and let sleep take me. Thinking of Ranger as I fell into a soft, comfortable sleep.

**So that was that. We will see what happens next. I was actually going to go through with her doing distraction but I had writer's block and I couldn't come up with any action for it. So that is that. Hope you keep reading. Review if you can. Thanks, and have a great day.  
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	14. Chapter 14

**DISCLAIMER: Every thing belongs to Janet Evanovich except Titus and Dylan, and Ben. **

I was sitting at my desk contemplating the morning three days ago. I had woken up in Ranger's arms as he carried me into his bedroom. He had laid me down and tucked me in under his large comforter and then proceeded to crawl in the other side of his bed. I had curled up against him, wanting to feel his warmth against me. His arms wrapped around me and held me close to him, allowing me to fall into a dreamy sleep that was fitful, but still enjoyable.

He had been avoiding me since then however because he wasn't in the bed when I had woken up, and everywhere I seemed to look for him he had just left. He hadn't walked past my desk at all and hadn't even acknowledged me when stopped next to him as he talked to Tank.

I decided that today I wasn't going to stay locked up. It was driving me nuts sitting inside the building that last five days since Ranger had went out of town and come back. I needed to go do my laundry and I figured that it would be the perfect opportunity to escape. I had to find Ranger and let him know though, it would be easier to get out if he gave me permission, but I knew that I was going to go even if he didn't.

"Ranger, I need to go do my laundry and I was wondering if I could use one of your vehicles again. The truck would work great because I could just throw everything into the back." I had barged into his office without knocking and he was staring up at me from his paperwork.

"You can do your laundry downstairs. You don't need to leave."

"Look, that was my nice way of saying let me go. I am going to find my own apartment and then you won't have to worry about me anymore. I guess you should get it through your thick skull that I am not just going to sit around. It was nice for one night to have you by my side, but I need to figure this out for myself."

"For yourself? You think you could keep yourself safe if your husband got a hold of you?"

"As a matter of fact I do." I crossed my arms and looked at him disgruntled. "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I have proved that the last four years. I don't need the help of some macho ass who thinks he needs to run everyone else's life just because he couldn't control the one girl's…"

Ranger had stood up and I had shut up. He looked dangerous right now; his eyes were seemed to be glowing with anger. He stepped out from behind his desk and I gave a fake smile, which got nothing in return except his hard glare. He tossed me a set of keys and walked out of his office. I knew that I shouldn't have said anything, especially about him not being able to control Stephanie, but at least I hadn't said everything that I had planned on.

I looked down at the keys and smiled, the keys to the truck were now in my hand. I skipped out of the office and made my way to my apartment. Collecting all of my clothes I made two trips down to the truck. With a smile of satisfaction I pulled out of the garage and made my way to a small Laundromat I had seen on my way to the office a few times.

Throwing all of my clothes into the washers was easy, as was getting the soap, but I was having problems with the change machine. I sat and looked through the newspaper as my clothes sat in the washer, spinning and shaking. In one washer I could see the shirt and sweatpants I had stole from Ranger, it made me smile thinking about wearing his clothes, thinking about him. As I thought about him I became so lost in thought I didn't realize someone sit down next to me at first.

The cold hand on my arm took me from my revere and I looked over, losing my breath as I took in who was next to me. My husband Tyler sat smiling back at me, his green eyes looked angry and happy at the same time. His thin red lips turned up at the sides and I could see the depraved smile begin to take over his mouth. His fingers tightened around my arms and I felt fear bubbling up inside of me. Maybe I should have listened to Ranger. It was too late for that I knew as I looked around the empty Laundromat.

"How have you been doing Dylan?"

"I have been great Tyler. Thanks for checking, now you should go home." His fingers dug fiercly into my skin and I winced at the familiar pain.

"We should go home together. I'll buy you new clothes, come on."

"Tyler stop." He pulled me up from the chair with one good tug on my arm and I had to swallow back the fear that threatened to show. "I don't want to be hurt anymore."

"I have never hurt you Dylan. I love you." His lips brushed mine and I cringed. I could tell I was in trouble and I looked out the window at the truck. My cell phone was sitting on the seat inside, I had no way of getting Ranger. "Let's go now. Don't make a scene that you will regret."

The words were all too familiar and I knew what he meant. I would regret it with the impact of his hands on me if I made a scene. He would hit me again and I didn't want that anymore then I was already going to get. Begrudgingly I followed him out of the building, trying to think of some way to escape. As we walked out I looked at the early morning street, empty. I wasn't going to be able to flag anyone down for help and I winced as my pace slowed and Tyler continued to drag me towards his truck.

Why hadn't I just listened to Ranger? I had to be stubborn and stupid. Thinking I could take care of myself. I was just upset that he didn't have the same feelings about me, and now I wasn't going to ever see him again probably. I was going to end up back in North Dakota, locked up in the house and used as deterrent for anger to be taken out on. Tyler would pick up his old drinking habits and I would wait home in fear, praying nothing had upset him on his way home.

He shoved me into the passenger seat and I saw him hit the child safety lock on the door. I wouldn't be able to open it up from the inside now. This is how I always had ridden with him before. Never able to get out unless he opened the door and allowed me to get out. When people had seen this they just assumed he was a great guy who always opened my door, the perfect gentleman.

I closed my eyes and felt a tear escape down my cheek as I fought it back, wiping it away with my hand before Tyler could see it. He was in the seat next to me before I knew it, starting up the truck that I had once loved, but hate grown to hate. It had kept me prisoner to often, the familiar smell of Tyler and home washed longing over me to see my family, but if it meant staying away and safe from Tyler, I could let them all go. Now once again in his clutches I couldn't help but be thankful that I had ended up with him and not my sister. I would hate for her to have to have lived through that pain that I had been.

Tyler snaked his hand over as he turned out onto the street, wrapping his fingers into my hair, pulling my head over and kissing me on lips forcefully. It wasn't a hot passionately forceful kiss. It was a kiss that let me know he was back and that I was once again his. He wouldn't be letting me out of his sight again. He wouldn't fall for the trick of going to the supermarket to pick up some groceries without him. I wouldn't be let out of his sight again.

I stared out the window, watching the familiar streets I had come to know in the past months go by slowly. My mind concentrated on everything that went by. If we stopped somewhere, maybe I could talk him into letting me stop somewhere to go to the bathroom. If I could get out and use a phone I could call Ranger and tell him where I was. I had to figure out some way to get back to Ranger, I not only needed him but I wanted him, and felt as if he was the only one that truly cared.

Tyler turned the truck down a back alley behind an old abandon warehouse and came to a stop. I kept my attention focused outside the vehicle, trying to remember the last street sign I had read. It looked familiar where we were, but I couldn't give directions to it without knowing the street. I had no way of letting Ranger know where I was, and fear started to creep into me more and more that I thought about it.

Tyler was out of the truck and on my side in seconds, obviously he didn't trust me. He never would and it would only cause me more pain. Now if anything went wrong he could pin it on me, say something like 'well you managed to run away, I'm sure you did this.' Everything had always been my fault with Tyler, it always would be. He opened the door and his hand instantly grabbed my arm, pulling me forcefully from the truck.

"What are we doing?" I could feel the bruise already forming on my arm as his grip tightened more with my question.

"Staying here for the night. Now get inside." It was close to a growl, he had never liked being second guessed, or having any of his plans questioned.

Inside a few other guys were sitting in some old wooden chairs that looked as if they were going to break at any moment. They all took me in as I did them. They all looked grubby and tired. A couple need a shave, and the one that had a beard definitely needed to trim it. I didn't know if it was the building or them that I could smell, but it was gross. Their clothes were filthy along with their face and hair.

"Meet the guys, they have been watching you for me."

"You had me watched?" For a moment it shocked me, but then I remembered the guy at the restaurant and realized that they had been paid to capture me if I was ever alone. Now I could see Ranger's logic in keeping him or one of the guys with me at all times. Stupid me, I just couldn't listen to him. I knew that this wasn't the first time I had thought this, and I had a feeling I was going to be thinking it for the rest of my life.

"Like Rambo didn't watch you either. He watched the whole capture of that last guy you brought in with that fat ass whore." I looked at him incredulously and he shook his head. "You should pay more attention. He followed you every time you went out of that building alone. The one time he didn't was when you went out with that cop, and now. Lucky me."

He threw me into a chair and I saw one of the men get up and come behind me. The familiar sound of tape was heard and then I felt myself be taped to the chair. I turned my head to see thick gray duck tape covering my wrists and binding me securely. I had to fight not to cry as I shuddered at what could possibly happen next. I didn't think Tyler had it in him to allow the other men to touch me, but I really wasn't sure.

"You guys can go. You know where your money is." The men shuffled like apes to the door with grumps and groans. I was silent until the door was closed behind the men and Tyler came back after locking it. "You shouldn't have left Dylan."

"Tyler, what are you going to do?"

"Did you sleep with him?" He was up in my face, the familiar fire blazed in his eyes and I quivered in front of him.

"Who?" His hand found my cheek and as my head turned to the side the familiar pain sent fear to my bones. I looked back at Tyler, wondering who he meant but then realized he had to have meant Ranger. "I didn't Tyler."

This time he hit my other cheek and it hurt more, it was stinging horribly and I looked at his hand to see the familiar gold wedding band on his finger. I could feel something wet run down my cheek and knew that it had to be blood because I wasn't crying. "He wouldn't have gone to all of this trouble to protect you if you didn't give him something in return." The next hit stung just as much as his words had. "You slut, you slept with him even though we are married. I would never do that to you."

Instead of hitting me, he pushed the chair over and as I landed my shoulder caught the worst of the fall, I was just thankful my head hadn't hit the concrete floor. Now however there was a pain stinging through my shoulder and arm like none I had ever felt before. I lifted my head, I was out of breath for some reason, and it had to have been the fall. I closed my eyes and laid my head down on the floor. I heard Tyler walking around me as I laid there.

His footsteps seemed to walk away from me and I sighed thankfully to myself. It was quiet in the large building and I was wondering what Tyler was up to at the moment. Maybe he was checking some something. Could he possibly he getting me some food, or regretting his actions for once. I wish I could hear him sorry just one time.

The footsteps came back however, heavier and angrier than before. I knew it was him, I just couldn't think of what to do to get him to let me go. I would never be free of the pain. I wished Titus was here just so that I would have someone, something to be with me. Oh no, Titus was still at the office. I knew I wasn't going to be getting him back anytime soon. What would Ranger and the guys do with him? They couldn't bring him to the pound, one of them would take him, they just had to.

"Get up." I opened my eyes to see Tyler's work boots straight in front of my face. He had his hands on his hips and his eyes were staring down at me dangerously.

"I can't." The pain in my stomach was like no other, it almost took my mind off of my shoulder as his boot connected. I tried to curl into a ball but it was impossible with my hands still strapped to the chair. He was picking the chair up and sitting me upright, the pain in my shoulder multiplying with every touch of his fingers or every little move. "Tyler"

He must have noticed the way the word came out as a pained whisper because he paused for a moment and looked down at me with slight concern. Then he moved me, I wasn't sitting completely on the chair and he grabbed me by both of my shoulders, causing me to cry out in pain, so I was sitting straight in the center of the chair. He bent down so that we were face to face, I was looking him square in the eye.

I had been able to stand up to Ranger because he may have been scary, but I didn't think he would ever intentionally hurt me. I could see him inflicting damage upon enemies, which I may have been working up to with the way I had been acting, but even if he was angry with me he never would hit me. I could feel myself trying to shrink away from Tyler, he had already caused me enough pain, and I didn't want him to hurt me anymore, for today anyways, I knew that future pain was inevitable.

"Do you love me still?" I felt the tear roll down my cheek, I knew what was coming. I couldn't lie to him, it would be worse than telling him the truth.

"Not anymore." His eyes flashed and I saw the look on his face before his fist made contact with my eye. I recoiled in pain and fear. "I'm s-sorry Tyler."

Another fist collided with my face before another open handed slap and another backhand. My head began to slump and I could feel myself slipping away, away from reality. I felt a cold hand on my chin and I opened my one eye that wasn't already swollen and looked to see Tyler inspecting my face. Apparently he didn't feel as if he had inflicted enough pain and suffering on me because he dropped my face and hit me again and again, repeatedly.

I was breathing hard, I wanted to scream for him to stop but I didn't have a voice. I couldn't cry, I was growing numb, retreating back into myself. I knew that I wouldn't last much longer. I tried to lift my head but it was too heavy with pain. I heard commotion and kept my eyes closed, my head drooped against my chest. I could hear deep voices and assumed that Tyler was letting the men back in.

He was probably going to let them do stuff to me. It would be payback for telling him that I didn't love him any longer. After today though it wouldn't be bad. We would get home and it would just be us. Only him touching me. If I could just make it through this I could keep going some how, I had to.

I looked up and saw Tyler staring down at me with a maniacal look. He kept glancing over his shoulder. I tried to say his name but I couldn't move my lips; they were swollen up and hurt too much. He raised his hand once more and I closed my eyes, bracing for the next hit. I felt it and heard someone call out. I felt myself tipping in the chair as everything began to grow dark. The pain in my shoulder was the last thing I knew of as everything went black.

**So there you go. A little action I guess. I had to write it up fast because I am going out of town and I felt bad for not updating real frequently lately so that is why you get three chapters in one day. Review if you can, if not at least you read it. Have a great night or day.  
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	15. Chapter 15

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Ranger, or Morelli, or anyone for that matter, except Titus and Dylan. **

**This one is Ranger's point of view. Thanks to the reviewers, and all the readers. I hope this works for you. **

I got a call around noon telling me Steph was in the hospital having her baby. I couldn't miss it. I nearly ran down to the garage to my Porsche, but I had to keep myself under control in front of the men. Once in the car I wanted to whoop with joy, but I kept my restraints intact. I had to see the kid, well see Steph. This was the perfect opportunity to see her, maybe it wouldn't be so awkward anymore.

I had been shut up in office since Dylan had left this morning. I had gone up to my apartment until I knew that she was gone for sure. I didn't want to hear any more crap from her about Steph. Now with the good news of Steph having had her baby I completely forgot about it. I didn't need to worry about that, all I needed to do was go see my Babe.

It was just as hard to control my excitement at the hospital as it was in my car and at RangeMan. I walked to the door, noticing my pace was a little faster than normal. My strides were longer and my feet just wanted to carry me as fast as they could. Granted that if I wanted to, I could have been upstairs to her room in a second, but I had to act normal. Like seeing her wasn't the best thing that was going to be happening to me.

The door was open already and I could hear the commotion inside the room as I walked down the hallway. Everyone seemed to be there. All the voices that reached my ears were familiar from one to many dinners at her parents' house. I glanced in and saw that the room was completely packed with her family. I don't think another person could have fit in there; it was probably a good thing that Lula wasn't there.

I was looking in at Steph, she lay back on the bed. She looked tired but incredibly excited. Her face was glowing with pride and happiness. I just kept watching her; I knew it was because of me she was in there. If I hadn't sent her back to Morelli and screwed our relationship up so bad with my little comments. She looked up and I caught her eye, as her smile grew larger, and our eyes held, I couldn't held but smile full heartedly at her.

I stepped in and the room seemed to grow silent. I looked over and saw Morelli standing up and holding a little pink bundle in his arms. He looked over at me and I nodded to acknowledge him. I did however want to strangle him as I realized what I could have had. This could have been mine with Steph but I knew that it wouldn't have been the same. I had a small sinking feeling that she wouldn't have looked so happy if this was out baby.

I don't know what was pushing the negative thoughts into my head; maybe it was just my attempt at killing all of my emotions for her. Knowing that there was no way I was going to be getting her back. Even if she wasn't happy she would never leave her child and husband, she was going to put them first. She would be a great mother, and I wouldn't ever try to ruin that and confuse things for her.

"Yo." I noticed how tired her smile was as she greeted me mockingly. I nodded my head back as I took a seat next to her on her bed. The light chatter in the room had picked up again.

"Girl?"

"No, we like dressing our boy in pink. We think we are going to let him hang out with Sally all the time." I smiled softly at her joke. I knew that I would get a smart-ass answer back from her.

"Funny. How did it go?"

"As good as it could have. It hurt." I nearly shivered at the thought of giving birth. I wasn't one of those people who saw it as the most beautiful things in the world. Honestly I thought those people were really twisted to enjoy it. "I'm tired."

I brushed the hair back from her face and leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. "You should be." I allowed my hand to travel down her arm and rest lightly on her hand. I knew that I shouldn't have done the subtle little kiss, and I should move my hand. I couldn't however. It had been so long since I had kissed her, touched her. I was tempted to throw her over my shoulder and run away with her. "I think I will come back later."

My eyes darted around the room. Joe was watching us as he cradled the baby, weariness showed in his eyes. He would fight me for her now, there was no way he would be giving up his family now. It was what he had been trying to rope Steph into for years, he finally had his way though. He was the victor, the winner finally.

"You can stay. I want to talk." Exhaustion was taking over her face, and her voice was growing tired. I knew it was best if I left, but I really couldn't bring myself to leave her side.

"You should sleep."

"With all of them around? Even you should know that is impossible. They aren't going to leave."

"Morelli, clear it out." He looked at Steph, all of the love he held for her showing in his eyes. I couldn't ever break it up, even if he was an ass. He nodded and then started pushing her relatives out the door. Complaints echoed around the room and Grandma Mazur tried to sneak in the bathroom and lock herself in, but somehow Joe managed to handle her. A huge feat that I couldn't have done. He definitely deserved his place in the family more than I did.

When the room was clear her came over, I stood up off the bed as he handed the little bundle of love to his tired wife. The baby moved in her arms, its tiny movements capturing my attention. I had always hoped that something would show when the baby was born, maybe darker skin, something. I wish it was mine, but I also knew that there was no possible way that it wouldn't have been. They had been married for two years and we hadn't had sex anytime during that period.

"Do you want to hold her?" I glanced at Joe, displeasure twisting his mouth. It probably wasn't the best time right now, they should have some time to themselves.

"I think I am going to take leave actually. I need to get back to the office." Joe seemed to think this was a good answer as he nodded approvingly. I had the urge to strike out and punch him, but I knew this wasn't the time, or place. "Get some rest." I kissed the top of her head once more before peeking at the baby and scooting out the door.

My pace back to the car was half of what it was coming up here. For some reason it was different than it had been playing in my mind on the way. It had seemed less cheerful, probably because Morelli was there. His gloating glory rubbed in my face. Even though he didn't do anything it felt like just his presence seemed to rub it in my face even more. I needed a drink now, normally I wouldn't drink, but this was an extenuating circumstance.

I drove down to a local bar that I had made a few apprehensions at. It definitely wasn't anything fancy, but at least I knew here I wasn't going to be bothered at all. I took a seat with my back to the wall, facing the room so that I knew what was going on. If one of the guys actually figured out I was here, which wasn't going to be hard with the GPS and tracking system in my car, at least I would be ready for their smart-ass remarks.

A new waitress came up; her legs were long and her waist small. Her clothes clung to her like a second skin and I couldn't help but watch her walk away with my order. I could probably get her to come home with me if I wanted. Wouldn't be hard, just like a couple others hadn't been. I wasn't one to just pick up random girls, but since Steph married Joe, things had changed. Now, the pain in my chest was building and I felt like a good night of sex might change that, make me forget.

My phone rang and I shut it off. I didn't feel like talking right now to anyone. It was probably one of the men telling me that I was stupid for going to see her. For thinking that she would take me back and leave Morelli on his ass. Tank had gave me shit before they got married, it had died down, but I knew that after today, if he was tracking the vehicles then I would be hearing more. First the hospital then the bar, yeah that said it all.

I sat nursing my second beer, it had been over and hour and a half, I may have had the desire to get drunk, but it just wasn't happening. Drinking wasn't my thing and it was hard to make myself sometimes, not being one of those times. My mind had been racing with thoughts of Steph and what my life could be like had I not screwed up when Tank came in the door. It only took him a moment to see me and come straight for me.

Tank stood to my side, taking in the rest of the bar before he even looked down at me and my beer. The look on his face told me that there was trouble, but I knew that he could take care of it himself. He could organize the men just as well as I could, that was why he was my wing man. He was the best I knew. He grabbed the beer and took a drink before opening hi mouth to say something. When nothing came out he took another drink.

"Dylan isn't answering any calls and her truck hasn't moved from the Laundromat all day."

"Well at least she is just staying there and not getting into any trouble." Tank's face let me know that that wasn't happening. I knew she couldn't stay out of trouble. She had probably called up Lula and they probably went shopping or something and pull a stupid stunt and got arrested and needed me to bail her out. I stayed silent, waiting for the confirmation from Tank.

"She isn't there, I sent Jess to go check on her after a few hours and her not answering her phone. She isn't with Lula either or anyone that I know of. I've checked." Great, she got herself if trouble the one day I needed to get drunk. Now I had to go play superhero and find her, definitely not what I wanted to do. "How many guys do you want me to get ready?"

"It's just me and you. If we need help we'll call Bobby and Lester. I have a feeling she just decided to go play by herself though. She was getting really sick of sitting around." I ground my teeth as I thought about how stupid she was sometimes. She just couldn't listen. Dylan was even worse than Stephanie at some points. Tank nodded, I threw a fifty on that table and followed him out the door. I would come back later and pick up the waitress, the tip she was getting left to question in my mind she would be in my bed tonight.

We drove to the Laundromat and I opened up the truck which wasn't locked. Apparently she was stupid enough not to lock up other people's vehicles. I wanted to strangle her as I thought about my truck being stolen just because she felt the need to go off and play. I hoped that she was getting some action or having the best time of her life because she wouldn't be stepping foot outside of RangeMan until every square inch of it was scrubbed with a toothbrush and it sparkled like a TV commercial.

I opened up the truck to see her cell phone sitting on the passenger side seat. If anything happened to her she wouldn't have a way to get a hold of anyone. I thought she was smart enough to realize that her husband could be around any corner, but I guessed wrong. I slammed the door, my anger bubbling at the crappy day and Dylan's stupidity. We walked into the Laundromat, maybe she came back and was sitting inside. I looked around the empty room and saw a familiar shirt inside one of the washers. They looked like they were done being washed, but had never got put in the dryer.

"Can I help you?" I turned to see an older woman with white hair behind a small desk.

"Do you know who these clothe belong to?" Tank got it out before I did, I don't know if he felt that this was more than it appeared or what but he seemed concerned.

"Oh yes, a nice girl came in this morning. She was reading the newspaper waiting for them to get done when I went out to grab something to eat. When I came back she was getting into a truck with some guy. She didn't look to happy to see him, but she just let him take her. She hasn't been back all day. I thought maybe they were going out to eat or something." With a shrug of her shoulders she brushed it away.

"What did the guy look like?" Tank once again was the one asking the question.

"I don't know, they just got in a blue truck. Why? Is she your girlfriend? She isn't cheating on you is she?" The old woman's eyes grew wide. "She was such a nice girl, she talked to me for a few minutes before I left."

"No, I think that was probably her brother." Tank turned towards the door with a small thank you and I followed. Maybe there was more to this than I thought, but Tank was pretty serious about getting Dylan found, and fast. He stood by his Explorer for a minute before looking at me for directions.

"Call Adam or Jess, have one of them, or both come and wait here and see if she shows back up. We will figure something out." With a nod he opened his door and was about to slide in when I stopped him. "And go grab that damn dog." I decided I would drive around, hopefully I would find something, anything that led me to her.

I drove around and was about to head back to the office when Tank called. "I have the dog, I don't know if he knows something is wrong but the guys said he had been growling and going crazy all morning."

"This is stupid as hell."

"Look Ric, just because things didn't work with Bomber…never mind. Just quit being an ass and keep looking." Tank hung up on me before I could get out a word. All the pot shots I was getting today about Stephanie and I not being able to have a relationship were really beginning to annoy me. I had a sinking suspicion that there must be something going on between Tank and Dylan. At the thought of this a pit of fiery jealousness hit my stomach. I stared blankly out the window for a moment before turning down a side street. If I could find someone to get information from that would be all we would need. I had a bad feeling that Tyler had Dylan in the truck, and they were on their way back home.

It was midnight and I was still driving around looking. I had stopped and talked to Tank, and I saw Titus going crazy in his SUV and knew what he meant now. Maybe they had been together long enough that Dylan and her dog shared some type of connection, but I didn't know for sure. He sure was acting odd though.

"Maybe you should let him out or something." I looked around the old lots with run down apartment buildings and warehouses. We stared in at the dog, he had his mouth pressed against the front window as he barked ferociously. He went to one of the tinted back windows and we could here his claws clicking against the window as he tried to get out.

"I don't know, he wasn't this bad until we pulled up here. I don't want him to come after you." Tank eyed me wearily. "It is your fault she is missing, you gave her the damn keys."

"The dog doesn't know that. Just let it out before it breaks the window." Tank reluctantly went and opened the door. Titus bounded out and ran at me with a snarl on his face. He stopped just before I thought he was going to jump up on me and rip apart my face. He looked at me and then around before turning and running faster than I thought possible for a three legged dog. I looked over at Tank who just shrugged his shoulders at me once more before taking off after the dog. I was right beside him and we attempted to follow that damn dog down an old alley.

I froze as I saw an all too familiar looking truck parked ahead of us. Titus was sniffing around the tires and I felt my heart clench as I thought of the owner. They were somewhere around here, I just didn't know where. He could have parked the truck here and actually taken another vehicle back to North Dakota. Titus sniffed at the ground and I watched him go towards an old warehouse. The building had gotten shut down after being busted for drugs a few years ago.

Titus jumped at the door and I questioned what to do. I wasn't sure if it was just Dylan and her husband in there, or if there could possibly be other men inside. I guess it didn't really matter once Tank walked over to the door. I could see him stealthily undoing the locks and I wondered what was so important about this girl that he wasn't even waiting for my orders. I stopped him momentarily to question him but Titus was jumping at the door the second Tank quit working. I figured it best just to let Tank get this done rather than let Titus let everyone know of our presence and give them time to run.

The door swung open and I stepped past Tank and into the warehouse. The lights flipped on and I stared across the empty concrete floor. Dylan was in a pile on the floor. I could tell, even with the distance, that her face was bruised and I felt anger bubbling along the surface. It was one thing when men fought with each other, or women got hit by other women, but a man beating a woman was one thing that I saw completely wrong. Tank and I looked around and I saw something out of the corner of my eye.

A door was cracked just an inch and I saw something move behind it. Before I could even take step in that direction Titus was in front of me. He bounded through the door and I heard snarling and growling as I got closer. I followed to find a small room that had probably been used as an office when the building was still running. Three men were cowering against the wall as Titus's teeth were bared in their direction. I flipped on the light and noticed that none of them were the man I was looking for. Still, they weren't going to be getting away.

"She isn't doing good." Tank came in and the men backed into the corner even more. He looked them over and then looked back at me.

"He isn't here. We should take them anyways." I took a step forward and one of the guys cried out a plead to let them go. I had suddenly grown deaf however and ignored what they said. Tank and I cuffed them all and accidentally dropped them and kicked, and maybe hit them. It was all accidental though. Tank called a couple other guys to come pick them up and I went over to Dylan.

Her fragile body seemed broken all over. Like a doll that got torn apart by a bratty little child. Her face was purple everywhere and blood was dried on one cheek, her lips, and above her eye. I clenched my fists in an effort to control my anger. I wanted to pick her up, but I was afraid it would hurt her even more. I looked over her clothes and noticed that her pants weren't all the way up, and they weren't buttoned or zipped, and her shirt was ripped.

I stood and went outside to where the men were being loaded into the trucks now. It had taken no time for the men to come; they all knew that she was missing. I pulled on out of Ram's grip and didn't even try to stop myself as my fist collided with him. I threw another punch and was going to hit him again but I was stopped by Tank. I was breathing hard, my heart rate was soaring and I was seeing red. Tank pushed me back inside the building and brought me over to Dylan.

"Take her to Ramon, he's seen her before. Have him carry out a sexual assault test." At the words I felt my blood begin to boil over. I looked down at her crumpled form again and cringed as he face continued to swell. Tank slapped a hand on my shoulder before bending down, buttoning her pants, and picking her up. She was completely limp in his arms and I regretted all my actions today. I knew it was too good to be true to let her out today.

"I'll see you in a while Ric." I don't know if Tank felt the same as I did, but I knew this was my fault. I should have kept someone on her today. I should have checked in on her myself. Once Tank was out the door I found an old wooden chair, turned off all of the lights and waited.

**Okay, well there you go. I hope to update tomorrow. I am not sure though. Review please. Later  
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	16. Chapter 16

**DISCLAIMER: Janet Evanovich owns it all, oh how genius she is. **

**So I didn't update yesterday because I had to work at the bookstore, and then I bought _Full Scoop_ and had to read that. It was good. I have to say Janet is great. Thanks to the reviewers, you guys are great. Ranger point of view once again.  
**

She hadn't moved for the past two days. I had sat next to the small hospital bed and watched for any signs of movement, but none had come. Her breathing was still shallow and Ramon had her monitored with machines, and tubes extended from her body. She was stitched, bandaged, and casted. A light blanket covered her form that had taken on a fever upon arrival. She seemed impeccably small and defenseless as her recovering body lat motionless.

Titus hadn't left the room, not even when Tank attempted to drag him out to go the bathroom. He sat staring at her, watching for any movements, any sign of her coming around. Occasionally he would throw glances at me, looks that seemed to tell me it was my entire fault. Now he was lying with his head on the bed, eyes slightly closed, but still watching her.

Rubbing at my temples I stood and paced to the window. Every time I looked at her purple face I couldn't help but think that it was my fault. Her bruises hadn't come to their worst yet, and tomorrow they would probably look the worst and swell up to their largest. I just hoped that they went down soon because it was killing me to have to see her the way she was. Thinking about everything that happened to her, what those men did, what her husband had allowed them to do.

The tests had come back positive after Ramon had looked her over. I wasn't with her at the time when she came in, I was waiting. Tank had told me everything upon my arrival and when I entered her room my heart shrank. I was glad I had done what I had; no one should ever be hurt like she was. She probably would never be the same again. Ramon said that she was probably unconscious at the time of the rape, and I didn't know if that was a good thing or not.

I didn't know how I was going to tell her everything, how I would tell her that Tyler was never going to hurt her again. I didn't want her to hate me for my actions, but she deserved the truth. She needed to know what I did, if she would no longer have anything to do with me, that would be fine, she would at least be safe. At the thought of her no longer staying at RangeMan I felt a tug on my insides, but I was saved from more thoughts as Tank entered.

He looked her over and scratched Titus's ears before turning to me. He scratched at the back of his head nervously and I had no clue what was going on. He had been acting weird ever since he had come into the bar to find me two days ago.

"Morelli called this morning. He said they found a body and he wanted to know what happened. I briefed him on what he did, about the other guys, who we still have, and he is going to be coming over with another cop. They need to have proof of my story."

"She'll be okay." Tank looked up at me in surprise. He had been looking Dylan over again after he told me what was going on.

"I know she will be, but will you if she doesn't need your protection anymore?"

I didn't know what to say. I stared at him blankly for a few moments before questioning him what he was talking about.

"I've seen the looks. Bomber used to get those looks. You can finally start to move on, but what if she doesn't stay in town? Are you going to go after her, or screw up like you did with Stephanie?" His words seemed to cut into me like a knife. All of his weird behavior hadn't been because he was after her. "You were finally becoming normal again Ric. You weren't such an ass to all of us; you need to keep her around."

I hated these stupid mushy moments between us. How in the hell had we gotten to talking about my personal life when Dylan was lying on the bed, looking like hell? Oh yea, because she seemed to be all that my life had become about. I realized now how blatantly obvious it was. I just wished that it hadn't taken Tank for me to realize. Now I really had to decide what I was going to do.

Tank went to the door and called Titus. He looked up at me for a moment before following Tank out the door for the first time in two days. I hoped that was a sign that she was coming around. The damn dog had actually left her side, maybe she would be sitting up any minute. I broke from my thoughts with a knock on the door and Morelli stepping inside with a kid behind him, well not really a kid, but the cop was young and new. I recognized him and knew he was the one that had gotten Dylan in trouble the first time.

"Manoso." Morelli acknowledged me as I backed away from the bed. The look on the younger cops face was horrified. He reached out to touch her, to take her hand but thought better of it as he looked over at me.

"I should have just gone out with her. Not worried about what you would do, at least she wouldn't look like this." Morelli slapped the kid in the chest as my jaw clenched.

"It says in our files she was married to him. Steph knows her, she was going to come down but I said I wanted to check it out first." Joe shook his head as he looked at Dylan. "She was the new one at the bail bonds office right?"

"Yea."

"She never was hospitalized before for injuries."

"He never would have let her get medical help. I don't think it ever got this bad though either."

"Tank said you have some men still." Morelli raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"We have evidence of sexual assault, and with pending DNA tests we will know which ones, if not all of them did it."

"Shit." He shook his head and looked me over. I don't know if the pain was registering in my face, or if he suddenly had a twist of conscience, but what came next from his mouth shocked the hell out of me. "Are you coming over to see the kid sometime?"

I was silent for a while, not knowing what to say, now knowing if it was an actual invitation or not. "Not for a while." We both looked over at Dylan on the bed, he nodded and excused himself. Ben, the new kid had been staring down at her the whole time, and Morelli had to pull him out by his sleeve. With a final glare in my direction the kid finally left.

Tank came back in with Titus, nudged me with his nose as I sat in the chair before he took his seat at the side of the bed once more. Tanks large hand came down on my shoulder and I looked up with a questioning look. He just nodded before walking back out the door. I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking.

I stared at the bed, at Dylan's unmoving form for what seemed like eternity. I knew that Joe had probably wanted to kill me when he saw her. I am sure he was thinking that it could have happened to Steph. It wasn't the same situation with Dylan though. She didn't bring this upon herself with the job. It had followed her from home, from a marriage she would no longer have to worry about.

I still was trying to figure out why she had never been treated in a hospital for any injuries when I heard a small mumble. I looked back up at the bed and saw Dylan's hand move. Titus perked his ear, looked over at me, and then nuzzled into her hand. Her mouth opened at the touch and a small gasp was issued through the tiny gap between her swollen bruised lips. I stood and stepped towards the bed.

I pushed her overgrown bangs from the side of her face as she attempted to open on of her eyes. The left one was so swollen that there was no chance of it being opened until the bruises disappeared. She could barely get the right one open, and I couldn't' imagine how much she had to be hurting. She seemed to be trying to focus her gaze on something, but it wasn't working, she was still very much disorientated.

"Watch her." I stood up and walked out the door. I had to find Ramon. I had promised I would get him if she awoke. I found him down the hall looking over some papers, at the sight of me he jumped and realized that she was awake. Without me even saying anything he walked past me briskly and entered the room.

I stood back, watching him check her out, asking questions, getting mumbling and groans for answers. He touched the bruises lightly, and I saw the most painful expression on her face I had ever see on anyone. He touched the shoulder that had been dislocated and the same pained expression was back.

"Stop." I don't know what made me say that, but Titus and Ramon both looked up at me.

"Ric, I have to make sure that she knows what is going on, showing response to her injuries is important." I stalked to the window with a small growl and stared outside. "I don't know what you want to do Ric."

Ramon stood facing me as I turned around. He was looking at me with a pained expression. I glanced at Dylan who was trying to keep her one eye open, and was scratching Titus with two fingers. I wasn't sure what he meant, but I assumed it had something to with telling her everything that was wrong, what had all happened.

"You can tell her, I can, we can wait a while." He shrugged his shoulders.

"When can she come home?"

"You want to take her already? I don't know Ric, this is really bad compared to last time you brought her in." We both turned as Dylan attempted to talk. It was mumbled, slurred by her swollen mouth, but it sounded like my name. I walked over to the bed and sat by her side. She grabbed my hand, two fingers wrapping around mine, holding tight. I looked up at Ramon and he nodded. "You'll have to bring her in everyday, I want to keep an eye on her."

I watched him walk to the door before he turned back to me. "I'll have Bonita bring some stuff in for her."

As he closed the door I looked down at Dylan, she had closed her eye and seemed to be exhausted by the energy it had taken from her. Her fingers were still clutched to me, like a little lost child that would never leave. I lifted her hand and kissed the inside of her palm lightly, a sigh came from deep inside her. Looking at her I remembered a movie that I had watched with the guys a long time ago. 'The General's Daughter' the daughter had been beat and raped as well, but thinking back to it, Dylan looked worse than that girl had.

I closed my eyes and thought about how I have never let her go. I shouldn't have let my anger get the better of me. I let her out just because I was pissed for a few comments she had said. I wasn't thinking about what was best for her; it had been all about what I was feeling. I knew that this was my fault. I wasn't going to be able to forgive myself, ever.

Bonita entered and began to unhook everything from Dylan. As she was moved her face seemed to contort in pain as much as was possible for how bad it was bruised and swollen. I wanted to whisk her up into my arms and never let her go. Never let get hurt, feel any kind of pain again. Keep her safe forever and ever.

Bonita pulled the blankets away and then the thin paper gown they had dressed her in. I saw that her whole body was covered in the same bruises that her face was. A bruise on her side showed a print of a boot and I felt the anger in me raise once more. I knew I couldn't do anything else for her, it was taken care of, but I didn't want her to be in the pain that I could only imagine she was feeling.

She had slipped something warmer on Dylan and I stared back as she cooed soft words to Dylan. She kept telling her it would be okay now, that she wouldn't get hurt again. I wanted to hug Bonita as she gave Dylan a small kiss on the forehead before turning back to me. She had a whole list of things I had to do with Dylan, including bringing her back in everyday to see Ramon. I took the papers graciously and turned back to Dylan on the bad. She looked like she was sleeping once again but I could tell by the breathing that she wasn't.

Bonita comforted her once again as I slipped my arms underneath her. Bonita also tried to slip her arms up around my neck so that she was holding on, but Dylan was still too weak. I couldn't hold onto her to tight because I didn't want to hurt her, but I had to make sure she wasn't going to fall through my arms. As I was walking her out to the car, Titus was right by my side, watching Dylan and me wearily. I had a feeling that I would be torn to shreds if something else happened to her.

I put Titus in the back, I'm not exactly sure how he even fit in the miniscule backseat of the Turbo, but he did. Dylan fell into the seats, laying back when I gently reclined the seat with her in it. She seemed to melt into the seats every time she rode in the car. I tucked the blanket I had taken as well and tucked it around her legs before closing the door and going to the other side and sliding in next to her. I could help but take her hand in mine once again as we made our way back to RangeMan.

I carried her up to my apartment, Titus patiently following behind all the way. Once in the apartment I walked straight to my bedroom. Pulling the blankets back I slid her in easily, pulling the blankets up around her gently. Titus was about to jump up onto the bed before I cast him a look. He paused for a moment and then climbed up anyways. He had a stubbornness about him that was just like Dylan. I curled up at the end of the bed, eyes fixed on Dylan once again.

I kissed the top of her head and walked into the bathroom. I had to shower, I hadn't left her side for three days, and I wasn't going to be crawling into bed next to her as dirty as I was. I knew she wasn't going to jump me, which as bad as it sounds I was thinking about at the moment. Even through all of her pain, I was thinking about getting her into bed. As the water shot down around me I sighed, exhaling the past few days from my body.

Pulling my sweatpants on I walked out of the bathroom, seeing the dog and its owner in the same positions I had left them in. I called the dog as I walked to the kitchen. I had to have something to eat. Now that I was home everything was hitting me, hunger, and exhaustion. I threw some turkey to the dog that had followed, but he kept looking back at the bedroom. I had a feeling Titus would have bypassed the food completely and would have rather just stayed with Dylan, but three days was probably wearing him down.

After drinking some water and eating two turkey sandwiches I was making my way back to my bedroom when there was a knock on my door. I sighed and went to it, running my hands through my hair. It had grown out a little, but was still too short to even consider pulling back. When I pulled the door open I was greeted by Tank, his expression was still worried, but it wasn't what it had been at Ramon's.

"I saw you take her up."

"You want to see her?"

"I wanted to make sure you were doing okay." His eyes took me in and I wondered what he was thinking. "She'll be okay Ric. You just have to make sure you don't let her go."

I wasn't sure where the normal Tank had gone, but I knew exactly what this more emotional one was talking about. I knew what I felt for Dylan and it was more than I had felt in two years for anyone else. I wasn't going to let her get away. I wouldn't make the same mistake I had made before. I nodded lightly and motioned for him to come in but he shook his head.

"I just thought I should drill that into your thick skull once more." He gave a wry smile and I wanted to punch him for being a smart ass, but I was too tired.

"Get out of here." I shut the door in his face, but I could hear him laugh on the other side before he disappeared back into the elevator. I made my way to the bedroom. Titus was on the bed once more. I pulled back the blankets and slid between them, thankful to be in my bed once again. I couldn't help but get closer to Dylan as the moonlight shown in lightly through the windows. I allowed my arm to circle her low on her waist, being careful not to touch any of the bruises I had seen earlier.

Her skin was hot through the material of her clothes and I held a growing desire in the pit of my stomach. I wouldn't ever take advantage of her in the condition she was in, but one she was up and all healed. Well she would have to watch herself. She moved her arm and her fingers gripped my hand once again. I scooted a little closed and pressed against her lightly, feeling the heat from her on my skin.

"Ran-" She tried to speak but I stopped her. I didn't want her exerting any more of her energy than she needed to.

"Just go to sleep, relax, you're safe." I knew I sounded lame but I didn't know what else to say. "You can stay here forever, you don't have to go back."

I surprised myself as much as her. I felt her body tense for a moment, taking in my words, and I wondered if I really meant what I had just said. As she relaxed into me once again I knew that I did. She could stay with me forever, I wouldn't be letting her go. I wouldn't be making a mistake again.

Kissing her lightly once again I closed my eyes and lay there thinking. Titus was at the end of the bed, taking up space, forcing me to bend my legs. Was this what I really wanted? Could I live with this forever? The dog? The girl? I wasn't entirely sure, but then again I knew it was exactly what I wanted. I wanted to keep her safe, keep her close. If I had to keep the dog I would, as long as I had her.

**Sorry for any mistakes, just like the in all of the other chapters they are inevitable for me. Sometimes my brain isn't going as fast as my typing or the toher way around. I figured I should apoligize for the mistakes at some point ans decided I would now. So it didn't say exactly how Ranger took care of business, but you can figure it out, plus he will have to tell Dylan anyways. So Ranger has a crush crush crush on Dylan, and is even willing to take the dog. Ooh, maybe once she is all healed with will get some hardcore Ranger action! Who knows! Well please review if you can. Have a killer day.  
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	17. Final Notes

**I decided that since I haven't updated or written anything in ages I am just going to mark this part of the story as complete. I have drawn up an outline for it to continue, I just won't have time to do anything until July. I plan to write more to the story though if anyone is still reading it, although it won't be until July. It will continue where this story ends I am assuming, and will have more realistic bad guy drama and fun stuff. Hope you enjoyed it. Have a killer day. Later.**


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